Two Former Penn State Football Players to Be Charged with Rape

Former Penn State football players Jameial Lyons, Kaveion Keys face charges of rape, assault.

Former Penn State football player Jameial Lyons (19) is pictured during a 2023 game against Massachusetts. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Two former Penn State football players, who were removed from the university and team before the 2024 season, face felony charges of rape and sexual assault, according to court documents filed Tuesday. Jameial Lyons and Kaveion Keys, both 19, are scheduled to be charged with multiple felony counts, according to court documents.

Both Lyons and Keys are scheduled for arraignment at 2 p.m. Wednesday in State College, according to court records. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 30. Affidavits of probable cause were not released as of Tuesday afternoon.

"We are aware of the serious charges against Mr. Keys and Mr. Lyons, who are no longer enrolled at the University," Penn State said in a statement Tuesday. "The safety of our community is our top priority, and Penn State takes any report of sexual assault or misconduct very seriously and investigates any and all reports."

According to an online court filing, Lyons is scheduled to be charged with one felony count of rape, two felony counts of aggravated indecent assualt without consent and one felony count of voluntary deviate sexual intercourse. Lyons also is to be charged with misdemeanor counts of indecent assault without consent and invasion of privacy.

Keys is scheduled to be charged with one count of rape, one count of aggravated indecent assault without consent and one count of sexual assault, all felonies, according to a court filing. He also is to be charged with one misdemeanor count of indecent assault without consent. Both filings list July 7, 2024, as the date of the alleged offense.

Penn State issued a statement in early August that Lyons and Keys no longer were enrolled at Penn State or part of the football program.

Lyons, from Philadelphia, played in eight games for the Nittany Lions last season at defensive end. He made six tackles and a sack and earned a developmental squad player-of-the-week award. Keys, from Richmond, Virginia, played in two games last season and earned several awards for his work on the scout teams. Keys was named a developmental defensive player of the year and a developmental special teams player of the year.

Former Penn State football player Kaveion Keys (48) is pictured during a 2023 game against Delaware. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK