Baylor's Ukwuachu gets six months in jail, 10 years probation in rape case
Baylor football player Sam Ukwuachu has been sentenced to six months' jail time and 10 years of felony probation Friday after being found guilty of sexual assault.
Ukwuachu was given his sentence Friday after sexually assaulting a female student who is a former Baylor women's soccer player nearly two years ago.
A Waco, Texas district court judge also sentenced him to 400 hours of community service. The jury recommended he be sentenced to eight years in prison, but that the sentence be probated.
Ukwuachu was taken to jail to begin his sentence immediately following the court ruling. His attorney reportedly said they were “pleased” with the probation sentence and that it “shows who Sam is as a person.” The attorney said Ukwuachu maintains his innocence, according to ESPN's Max Olson.
• More: Baylor's Ukwuachu found guilty of sexual assault
The sexual assault occurred several months after Ukwuachu transferred to Baylor from Boise State. Ukwuachu was indicted on two felony charges in June 2014, but the allegations were not reported by media until earlier this month.
Earlier Thursday, a report from Texas Monthly alleged the case was mishandled by Baylor and authorities.
Ukwuachu transferred to Baylor in the fall of 2013 after he was dismissed by Boise State in May 2013. While at Boise State, Ukwuachu was accused of being abusive toward a former girlfriend. He was dismissed from the team due to an unspecified violation of team rules, but he told Rivals.com in May 2013 that Baylor coaches “knew everything.”
• Ex-Boise State coach Petersen says Briles knew of Ukwuachu's past
Baylor head coach Art Briles denied publicly that he was ever aware of Ukwuachu's problems while at Boise State, saying “there [was] no truth” to that report. Former Boise State coach Chris Petersen, now at Washington, released a statement Friday saying he informed Briles of Ukwuachu's history of violent transgressions.
Baylor released a statement Friday evening after Ukwuachu's sentencing announcing a “comprehensive internal inquiry” into the case, and “the conduct of the offices involved.”
- Jeremy Woo
