BYU wide receiver Parker Kingston has been arrested and charged with first-degree felony rape following a months-long investigation in Washington County, Utah.
Jail records show Kingston, 21, was arrested Wednesday afternoon. He is being held without bail and is scheduled to make his first appearance Friday in Utah’s Fifth Judicial District Court.
According to the Washington County Attorney’s Office, the case began after a woman, who was 20 at the time, reported a sexual assault to staff at St. George Regional Hospital. She told police the incident occurred on Feb. 23, 2025, in St. George, located about 250 miles south of BYU’s Provo campus. Investigators with the St. George Police Department collected digital and forensic evidence and interviewed those involved, along with additional witnesses. The findings were later reviewed by the county attorney’s office, which formally filed the charge Tuesday.
The university’s athletic department said in a statement: “BYU became aware today of the arrest of Parker Kingston. 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.”
Kingston was BYU’s leading receiver during the 2025 season, finishing with 66 receptions for 924 yards and five touchdowns. He appeared in 40 games over four seasons and had previously announced plans to return for his final year of eligibility. The case marks the second high-profile sexual assault allegation involving a BYU football player within the past year. Former quarterback Jake Retzlaff was accused in a civil lawsuit in May, though the case was later dismissed with prejudice and no criminal charges were filed. Retzlaff ultimately transferred to Tulane after facing potential discipline under BYU’s honor code.
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