LOS ANGELES (AP) — Joshua Jackson Jr., a former University of Southern California football player, has been arrested and faces serious charges of sexually assaulting two women, according to Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón.
Gascón announced the charges on Wednesday, revealing that Jackson, aged 21, is accused of committing multiple felonies. Specifically, he has been charged with one count of forcible sexual penetration and three counts of forcible rape. The allegations stem from incidents involving two different victims: a UCLA student in the summer of 2020 and a USC student three months prior to the announcement.
“These brave women made the difficult decision to come forward and report their assault,” Gascón stated in a press release. “Now it’s our turn to ensure that justice is done. We will do everything we can to hold the person responsible accountable for his actions.”
Jackson’s collegiate football career saw him play as a defensive back for USC in 2021. He entered the transfer portal in April after not seeing any game time during the previous season. Initially recruited by the coaching staff under Clay Helton, he started in two games during the 2021 season while Donte Williams served as the interim head coach.
The former USC player is expected to be arraigned later this week as legal proceedings progress.