Former Baylor defensive end Shawn Oakman (2) went undrafted after an April arrest for sexual assault. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Former Baylor defensive lineman Shawn Oakman was formally indicted on a charge of second-degree felony sexual assault in Waco, Texas, on Wednesday.
Oakman, Baylor’s all-time leader in sacks, was arrested in April after a Baylor student accused him of sexually assaulting her. According to police, the alleged incident happened at Oakman’s residence in the early morning hours of April 3 after the two left a Waco nightclub together. A police report says the woman said Oakman “forcibly removed” her clothing, “forced” her onto a bed and assaulted her.
The case was presented to a grand jury Wednesday morning by the McLennan County District Attorney’s office.
Oakman says the sex was consensual.
“Shawn Oakman maintains his innocence in regard to the recent accusations made against him, and he insists that the sexual relationship in this case was consensual,” said Oakman’s attorney, Michelle Tuegel, per the Waco Tribune.
“It is unfortunate that this situation has been lumped in with other events that are unrelated. It is important that we not rush to judgment. Every citizen accused of a crime in this country is presumed innocent unless the state proves the accused offense beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. We look forward to vigorously defending Mr. Oakman and presenting the facts involved in this situation.”
Using a search warrant, police searched Oakman’s residence to collect evidence, including clothing left behind by the woman.
From the Waco Tribune:
Waco police searched Oakman’s residence April 3 looking for evidence to support the woman’s claims that Oakman sexually assaulted her between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. that day. Police also executed search warrants for his DNA and his cellphone.
A police affidavit for the search warrant said police were looking for clothing the woman left behind at Oakman’s duplex, as well as earrings, blood, semen, bodily fluids, hair, skin cells, DNA, bedsheets and other items.
Court documents indicate officers seized two comforters, a fitted sheet and a flat sheet from Oakman’s bedroom. The woman went to the hospital after the alleged assault and was examined by a sexual assault nurse examiner, according to the court records.
The 6-foot-9, 275-pound Oakman was expected to be an early NFL Draft pick before his arrest, but ended up going undrafted. He registered a combined 84 tackles, 34 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks during his final two seasons at Baylor. Oakman, a third-team All-America selection in 2014, landed at Baylor in 2012 after beginning his career at Penn State, where he was dismissed for violating team rules.
Oakman was also accused of assault by an ex-girlfriend in 2013. A police report said a woman accused Oakman of grabbing her and shoving her into a wall. The alleged victim decided not to pursue charges.
It is unclear if Baylor was aware of the 2013 accusation.
Oakman is the third former Baylor player to be indicted for sexual assault in recent years. Sam Ukwuachu and Tevin Elliott were both convicted in separate cases. In August 2015, Ukwuachu was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 10 years probation for sexually assaulting a Baylor soccer player in October 2013. Elliott was sentenced to 20 years in prison in January 2014 for sexually assaulting two Baylor students in 2012. Two other women accused Elliott of sexual assault and testified in his trial.
Baylor hired a law firm to investigate the way it handles sexual assault allegations, leading to the firing of head coach Art Briles and resignations of president Ken Starr and athletic director Ian McCaw.
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