2 Northwest Halifax football players charged with rape in school locker room
Posted September 28, 2017 9:44 a.m. EDT
Updated September 28, 2017 6:51 p.m. EDT
Roanoke Rapids, N.C. — Two Northwest Halifax High School football players were charged on Wednesday with raping a female student in a school locker room, authorities said.
The Halifax County Sheriff's Office responded on Wednesday after the rape allegations. Officials said the alleged rape occurred when Raquan Marquest Boswell, 18, and Jesse Jyrell Alston, 16, pushed and restrained a female student in a boys' locker room.
Boswell and Alston were charged with first-degree rape, according to the sheriff's office.
WRAL News spoke with one of the suspects on Thursday. He said the sex was consensual.
Kenisha Burgwyn grew up with Alston. She hopes people are cautious not to assume he is guilty.
"He's a really good kid," she said. "I didn't really believe it because it's not believable. That being someone I grew up around, it's just not believable."
Sheriff Wes Tripp said more arrests are possible in the case.
