New Jersey High School Basketball Star Detained by ICE After Rape Charges Dropped

Keiner Asprilla, a highly touted New Jersey high school basketball prospect from Colombia, had rape, sodomy, and kidnapping charges dismissed by Missouri prosecutors after nearly a year in custody, but he remains detained by ICE due to his immigration status, leaving his future in basketball and education uncertain.

Mar 8, 2024; Piscataway, New Jersey, United States; Don Bosco vs. Paul VI in the Non-Public A championship at Jersey Mike's Arena. DB #34 Keiner Asprilla dunks in the fourth period. / Michael Karas / USA TODAY NETWORK

In a stunning turn for one of New Jersey’s most promising high school basketball talents, rape, sodomy, and kidnapping charges against Keiner Asprilla have been dismissed by Boone County prosecutors in Missouri, according to a report by NJAdvanceMedia.

The 19-year-old center from Colombia, once ranked among the nation’s top 50 prospects in the class of 2026, spent nearly a year in custody after his arrest last January. Now, with criminal charges dropped, he faces an uncertain future as he is detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

In January, 2025, the 7-foot-1, 225-pound center who dominated the paint for Don Bosco Prep and later St. Peter’s Prep, was arrested as a “fugitive from justice.” The allegations stemmed from an official recruiting visit to the University of Missouri in September 2024. Prosecutors claimed the then-17-year-old met an inebriated woman, who was not a university student, and sexually assaulted her multiple times in a hotel room paid for by the school.

The case, which was covered by High School on SI last May, drew national attention, especially in New Jersey hoops circles where Asprilla had emerged as a defensive force. He helped Don Bosco win a Non-Public A state title alongside All-American guard Dylan Harper in March 2024 before transferring to St. Peter’s for his senior year. Offers rolled in from major colleges across the land, including Kansas, Auburn, LSU, Villanova, Florida State, Seton Hall, and Missouri.

A Year Behind Bars

Asprilla’s path through the legal system was a grueling one. Extradited to Missouri, he was initially held in juvenile detention before moving to adult jails in Boone and Miller counties. Denied bond, he appeared in court via video link and pleaded not guilty. A judge certified him as an adult in April 2025, moving the case from family to criminal court.

His defense attorney, Adam Dowling, pointed to weaknesses in the prosecution’s case. Subpoenaed depositions of the accuser and witnesses were marked by no-shows and inconsistent statements. Dowling called the accuser’s failure to appear twice “significant.” Prosecutors offered no public comment on their decision to drop the charges.

When the dismissal was filed last Wednesday in Missouri’s 13th Circuit Court, Dowling personally informed Asprilla at the Boone County Jail. “He was, of course, overjoyed,” said Dowling, according to the NJAdvance Media report. “This has been a terrible situation.”

From Jail to ICE Detention

With no local charges remaining, Asprilla was released from Missouri custody last Thursday morning. But an ICE detainer, placed when he was first arrested, took immediate effect. The Colombian national, who entered the U.S. on an I-20 student visa, was then transferred to federal immigration authorities.

Dowling expects Asprilla to be held in Kansas City for several weeks before an immigration hearing. “We’re hopeful he will get released and ultimately have his student visa reinstated,” the attorney said. “He has no prior convictions. Hopefully he can get back to family, his education, and basketball.”

A Promising Career on Hold

Asprilla arrived in the U.S. from Chocó, Colombia, in 2022 with limited English. He enrolled at Don Bosco Prep, blossomed into a rim protector, and quickly drew college attention. After transferring to St. Peter’s, he was starring for the state’s top-ranked team when arrested.

Oscar and Martha Ruiz of North Bergen, who hosted Asprilla and presented themselves as his guardians to recruiters, supported him throughout. They accompanied him on the Missouri visit and launched a GoFundMe raising $30,000 for legal fees. “He’s a great kid,” Oscar Ruiz told NJ Advance Media. “It’s just a shame what happened.”

What’s Next?

The dismissal ends the criminal chapter but leaves Asprilla’s immigration status in limbo. His once-bright recruiting future, now derailed by the allegations and year-long detention, remains clouded. He is no longer listed in major recruiting rankings.

For New Jersey’s basketball community, the news brings relief mixed with questions. A top talent who rose from international newcomer to state champion and high-major prospect lost critical development time. Whether Asprilla can reclaim his trajectory, on the court or in the classroom, depends on the outcome of his upcoming immigration hearing.