Two Former Penn State Football Players 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

Editor's Note: This story was updated Oct. 23 following the release of the criminal complaint against Jameial Lyons and Kaveion Keys.

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. Jameial Lyons and Kaveion Keys, who were charged with multiple felony counts, were arraigned Wednesday in State College.

A judge set an unsecured bail of $500,000 for Lyons, 19, of Philadelphia. The judge set an unsecured bail of $400,000 for Keys, 19, of Richmond, Virginia. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 30.

According to an online court filing, Lyons was 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 was charged with misdemeanor counts of indecent assault without consent and invasion of privacy.

Keys was 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 was charged with one misdemeanor count of indecent assault without consent.

"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."

Penn State Police on Wednesday released the criminal complaint in which a 17-year-old female Penn State student alleged that Lyons and Keys "forcefully raped" her on campus in early July. A second victim alleged that Lyons sexually assaulted her on the same evening at the Nittany Apartments complex.

According to the criminal complaint:

Penn State Police were notified July 8 of the alleged incident at the campus apartment complex. The 17-year-old victim, whom the criminal complaint refers to as "Victim 1," left a gathering with two other females and went to the apartment of Lyons and Keys. Victim 1 told police that all three females were provided alcohol, and the other two females fell asleep.

"After Victim 2 and Witness 1 went to sleep, Victim 1 watched a television show with Keys and Lyons in Keys' bedroom," the criminal complaint states. "Keys and Lyons smoked marijuana. Victim [1] noted feeling like she was becoming impaired from being in the room while they were smoking. She subsequently laid down and attempted to go to sleep."

According to the criminal complaint, Lyons and Keys began touching Victim 1, digitally penetrated her, "forcefully raped" her and forced her to perform oral sex on them. Victim 1 attempted to push both men off her but could not because of their size, the complaint states.

Victim 1 told police that, at one point, her face was pushed into a mattress and her arms were restrained. Victim I also told police that she was choked and could not breathe. Keys stepped on Victim 1's head and pushed it into the mattress, according to the criminal complaint. Victim I told police that she saw a "flash" and believed Lyons and Keys recorded the alleged incident. Lyons and Keys denied making a recording, according to the criminal complaint.

The criminal complaint states that Victim I then "physically resisted and managed to get away." She tried to wake the other two females, according to the complaint. Lyons picked up Victim I, carried her outside and dropped her on the ground. According to the complaint, Lyons told Victim 1, "b----, you're not coming back here ever" and 'stay the f--- out of our life."

As Victim 1 was being carried outside, Victim 2 woke up and went to the bathroom to vomit, the complaint states. Lyons led Victim 2, who was intoxicated according to the complaint, to his bedroom, where she fell asleep. Victim 2 woke up with her pants removed and Lyons touching her, the complaint states. Victim 2 told police that she did not consent.

According to the complaint, police executed a search warrant July 8 and spoke with Keys and Lyons. Keys acknowledged that females were at the apartment but denied knowing Victim 1 or engaging in sexual contact with any of the females. Lyons told police that he had sex with Victim 1, that Keys participated and that he thought it was consensual, according to the complaint.

"However, Lyons reported having an awareness Victim 1 would likely report the situation to the police," the complaint states.

Keys demonstrated for police how he "held Victim 1's arms and grabbed her by the neck," according to the complaint. Police found a "short video documenting indecent contact" on Keys' phone, according to the complaint.

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.

At his media availability Wednesday in State College, Penn State coach James Franklin did not answer questions regarding the two former players and deferred to a program spokesman when asked. The video of the session is courtesy of Blue White Illustrated.