Utah State football player charged with sexual assault

A Utah State University football player was charged on Monday with sexually assaulting a woman in her dorm room, per court documents.

Ismael Kalani Vaifo’ou, 22, is accused of entering the bed of a woman while she slept, according to a probable cause statement, wearing only his underwear. The woman woke up, pushed him and told him to leave, at which point he put his clothes back on and left.

Witnesses who spoke with the woman reported to police that the she told them Vaifo’ou touched her inappropriately and assaulted her, per the probable cause statement. The police document also stated Vaifo’ou had been seen entering multiple rooms in the university dormitory where the woman lived.

Police said that when they interviewed Vaifo’ou, they could smell alcohol on his breath and noticed other signs of impairment. Vaifo’ou told police he undressed down to his underwear and got into the woman’s bed and touched her in several areas of her body, over her clothing. He then asked her if she wanted to have sex. All of this was done while the woman was asleep.

According to the probable cause statement, Vaifo’ou said that after he asked the woman if she would have sex with him, that’s when she woke up and asked him to leave.

Vaifo’ou was charged with three counts of forcible sexual abuse, two counts of criminal trespassing, and one count of each of burglary and intoxication. He was booked into the Cache County jail Sunday night.

A Utah State spokeswoman told The Salt Lake Tribune that Vaifo’ou has been suspended from the football team and will not be allowed back on campus without a police escort.

Vaifo’ou is a sophomore defensive end for the Aggies and a graduate of Highland High in Salt Lake City.