BYU Receiver Parker Kingston Charged With First-Degree Felony Rape After Year-Long Investigation

After nearly a one-year investigation, BYU wide receiver Parker Kingston was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree felony rape.

On Feb. 23, 2025, a 20-year-old woman told police officers at St. George Regional Hospital in Washington County, Utah, that she had been sexually assaulted by the Cougars receiver, which is when the investigation into the alleged incident began. 

The year-long inquiry into the allegations led to the Washington County Attorneys Office to interview multiple people regarding the incident, along with combing through digital evidence as well, the county said Wednesday. 

"Detectives with the St. George Police Department then gathered digital and forensic evidence," the Washington Country Attorneys media release said. "They also conducted interviews with the parties involved and other witnesses. The information was then turned over to the Washington County Attorney's Office for review."

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Now, Kingston is being held without bail in a Washington County jail, as he awaits his first court appearance on Friday afternoon in Utah. 

The Cougars leading receiver in 2025, with 1,047 total yards and eight touchdowns, played last season with the investigation into the alleged incident ongoing. 

This past weekend, Parker Kingston was seen on social media at a BYU basketball game, where he and his girlfriend had essentially announced their engagement during a moment where she was showing off her new ring. 

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Kingston had announced his intentions to return for another season last month, but now there will be serious questions about his status, no matter what transpires in the courtroom, due to the BYU Honor Code. 

Last year, former Cougars quarterback Jake Retzlaff was sued in civil court for sexual assault. Both parties ended up agreeing to dismiss the case. 

Even though Retzlaff was not formally charged by police, he was set to receive a multi-game suspension by BYU, so he ended up transferring to Tulane, where he started this past season. 

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On Wednesday evening, the Cougars athletic department released a statement regarding Kingston's arrest. 

"BYU became aware today of the arrest of Parker Kingston," BYU athletics said in a statement. "The university takes any allegation very seriously, and will cooperate with law enforcement. Due to federal and university privacy laws and practices for students, the university will not be able to provide additional comment."

Now, we wait to see what transpires on Friday in court, and if the judge in Utah's Fifth Judicial District Court decides to grant Parker Kingston bail as the proceedings continue to unfold.