Auston Robertson dismissed from MSU football; police looking for him

EAST LANSING – Former Michigan State football player Auston Robertson, who was removed from the team Friday, is facing a sexual assault charge after police said he raped a woman in her apartment.

Robertson had walked the woman to her apartment sometime after 11 p.m. on April 8 to make sure she got there safely, and then once they were inside the apartment he "forcefully" had sex with the woman despite her "telling him to stop and telling him no," Meridian Township Police Detective Rebecca Payne testified during a hearing Friday morning where charges were authorized.

Robertson, 19, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, had been suspended from the team April 9. He faces a charge of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. Court records indicate that as of Friday afternoon he had not been formally arraigned on the charge. Online court records don’t list an attorney of record for Robertson, and bond was set at $75,000.

Late Friday evening, Meridian Township Police posted a message on their Facebook page and blog that they are trying to locate Robertson. They asked the public to contact Detective Sgt. Brad Bach at 517-853-4800 or by email at bach@meridian.mi.us, or by submitting an anonymous tip on their blog (meridiantwppolice.blogspot.com). During Friday morning’s hearing, Bach testified that police were concerned Robertson could be a flight risk.

He did not return a message seeking comment. Ingham County Prosecutor Carol Siemon did not respond to a message left seeking comment.

In a statement released Friday afternoon, MSU head coach Mark Dantonio said the allegations against Robertson are "of the most serious nature" and that he's no longer part of the football program.

"Sexual assault has no place in our community," Dantonio said. "While there is an ongoing criminal process, we’re extremely disappointed that Auston put himself in this position."

The incident that led to charges against Robertson is separate from the ongoing criminal investigation into three other unnamed MSU players and a staff member who the university announced were suspended Feb. 9.

Payne interviewed the woman several days after her initial report to police.

The detective also testified:

• Robertson and the woman, who said she knew Robertson, ran into each other at party in East Lansing and the incident was reported to police the following day, when the woman told officers she had been assaulted.
• The woman said that after leaving the party, where she had been drinking, she, Robertson and another acquaintance went to get some food. Robertson called his girlfriend to pick the three of them up and then Robertson’s girlfriend drove them to the woman’s apartment.
• When the car arrived at the woman's residence, Robertson said he was "going to walk the victim to her apartment and make sure she gets there safely."
• Once inside the apartment, Robertson assaulted the woman and "refused to stop and continue to forcefully” have sex with the woman.
• Robertson "abruptly stopped and advised the victim that she can’t tell anybody about this incident."

Payne spoke to Robertson by phone on April 13, the day after she spoke with the woman, and he did not give a statement, Payne testified. Robertson told her he was in Indiana and requested an attorney.

Payne also testified that she interviewed the acquaintance who was in the the car and two people the woman said she disclosed the incident to and all three corroborated part of what the woman told police.

Related:

Suspended MSU football players still on scholarship

Records conflict with MSU statement on football sex assault timeline

Couch: MSU, Dantonio in no place to be holding spring football game

Couch: MSU football faces pivotal point in Dantonio era

It is the second serious allegation levied against Robertson.

He was arrested in January 2016 on a misdemeanor battery charge stemming from an October 2015 incident at his high school, Wayne High. Robertson was accused of improperly touching a female classmate, according to Allen Superior Court 4 records. He entered into a diversionary program for that case, which he completed March 11.

Those charges were cleared from his record March 22 after he fulfilled the terms of his diversionary program and by not getting into further trouble, according to court records. Eighteen days later, he was accused of the more significant offense.

Robertson did not sign with MSU on signing day in 2016 after the first incident was reported. Dantonio announced Robertson’s signing March 30, 2016, 19 days after he entered into the diversionary program.

In the statement Friday, Dantonio defended his decision to allow Robertson to join the team.

“Following his arrival on campus, he underwent an extensive educational process with specific prerequisites put in place for his participation as a student-athlete," Dantonio said. "This included daily supervised sessions within the football program and regular meetings with university staff addressing appropriate behavior and developmental growth.

"... Despite these measures, Auston broke our trust and expectations by putting himself in a compromising situation.

Robertson remains a student at MSU, officials said.

Robertson also had charges dropped in September 2015 after allegations of criminal mischief/damaging property and resisting law enforcement, according to Allen Superior Court 5 records.

The 6-foot-4, 281-pound Robertson, who was a four-star recruit, played seven games as a true freshman for the Spartans during their 2016 season. He made three tackles and forced a fumble. Robertson also played defensive end during MSU’s spring game on April 1.

President Lou Anna K. Simon, after the Michigan State University Board of Trustees meeting last week said the fourth player – now identified as Robertson – has been suspended from the football team, and a university spokesman said he remains a student.

Dantonio issued a statement April 13 about the second sexual assault allegation: “We will continue to educate and enforce high standards for the program. I expect all of our players to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects the values and principles of Michigan State University.”

Dantonio, when asked on the Big Ten spring football teleconference earlier this month if anyone who participated in the April 1 scrimmage have been suspended or are no longer with the program, said other players beyond the 15 who did not dress for the game are in what he termed a “red-lock” situation.

“Well, we red-lock people from time to time. We use the term red-lock for various things. So yes, there has been,” he said. “That’s a constant. There is constant people in and out of different situations. I think that is normal.”

Unrelated investigation ongoing

The alleged sexual assault that resulted in suspensions announced on Feb. 9 occurred in the early morning hours of Jan. 16 on campus at University Village Apartments and was reported to MSU Police a day later. No charges have been filed yet and that case remains under review by Ingham County Prosecutor Carol Siemon, spokesman Scott Hughes said last week. The players, who have not been named, remained students.

Curtis Blackwell, the program’s director of college advancement and performance, also was suspended Feb. 9. That was exactly a week after the university hired an external Title IX investigator into the first incident.

There are currently three investigations into that situation.

The first is the criminal case, which has been under review by Siemon since March 14. There is no timeline for when or if charges will be filed. MSU Police are seeking four warrants in the case.

The second is the Title IX investigation, which is being undertaken externally by Rebecca Veidlinger. The Ann Arbor attorney who previously worked in MSU’s Title IX office signed a contract with the university on Feb. 2. That is focused on potential violations of the university’s relationship violence and sexual misconduct policy.
The third is an external probe into the football program, which is being conducted by attorneys with Jones Day law firm. That began Feb. 10, the day after the announcement of the suspensions of the three players and staff member.

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Download our Spartans Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!