EAST LANSING, Mich. – A member of the Michigan State University football team was charged Friday with third-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection with an incident unrelated to a case that resulted in three players being suspended from the team.
Auston Robertson, 19, was charged by the Ingham County Prosecutor's Office.
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The Ingham County Prosecutor's Office confirmed earlier this month a Spartans football player is being investigated by the Meridian Township Police Department for alleged sexual assault.
Robertson was arrested in 2016 and charged for misdemeanor assault after he touched a juvenile woman without permission at Wayne High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, officials confirm. He was 18 years old at the time.
Robertson successfully completed a pre-trial diversion program and stayed out of trouble for a year, so the assault charge was dismissed on March 22 without a conviction.
Meridian Township police have a felony warrant out for Robertson. Police are asking for the public's help in tracking him down.
Three MSU players under investigation
Three other MSU players are under investigation for the alleged rape of a coed on campus. The players have been suspended from the team, and a staffer is on paid leave for an investigation into how the case has been handled.
The Ingham County Prosecutor's Office said the criminal investigation is complete. All extra evidentiary materials prosecutors asked for have been turned in, and they're in the process of making a charging decision.
Officials said the alleged rape happened on campus in January. The student who said she was sexually assaulted reported what happened, and the university has two investigations ongoing.
One investigation involves what happened, and the other involves the football team's compliance with university policy.
Local 4 is not naming the three players facing rape accusations because they haven't been charged. Two of the players are from Detroit, and the other is from out of state.
All three players have been removed from university housing and suspended from the team, but they are still allowed to attend classes and their scholarships are still in place.
Curtis Blackwell, the team's director of college advancement and performance, has been placed on paid leave.
Sources told Local 4 a charging decision will be made shortly by the Ingham County Prosecutor's Office.
Stay with ClickOnDetroit.com for updates.