A University of Utah student athlete has fled the country after he was accused of raping a school student in her dorm room early in the school yr, prosecutors said.
Canada’s Benjamin Smyth Wanted on Charges of Rape, Forced Sodomy and Forced Sexual Abuse, Salt Lake County Records obtained by Gephardt Every day show.
The 19-year-old Division I scholarship holder diver met his alleged victim in December 2022, when she was reading a book in her dormitory communal constructing.
Smyth – who approached the woman with a bunch of men he was seeing – exchanged contact information together with her.
Later that night, Smyth allegedly texted her asking if her roommates were home.
Upon learning that her dorm room was empty, Smyth visited her and made quite a few attempts to have interaction in sexual activities, all of which she rejected, the records said.
In keeping with police, the diver allegedly raped her after she said she “didn’t need to have sex”.
Smyth allegedly pushed “her arms to place her on the floor” and ignored her pleas for “no” and cried that she “didn’t need to do it”, in response to the allegations.
The girl didn’t report the horrific crime until February, when Smyth is accused of initially denying knowing the victim. He later recanted his lie and claimed the two had “had sex,” the warrant said.
Subsequent investigation revealed that Smyth kept a listing of women he had slept with.
The varsity said he was immediately kicked off the University of Utah swimming and diving team — just two weeks before the team’s Division I championship game.
When the detective arrived at Smyth’s dorm room to issue a restraining order, his roommate said the diver had packed his bags and moved out.
A non-public investigator told police that the teen had fled to his hometown of Vancouver.
“On February 16, we were made aware of a serious allegation against a member of our men’s swimming and diving program,” the university said. he told FOX TV stations in a press release.
“After being notified by the University Office for Equal Opportunities (OEO) of the ongoing investigation, Ben Smyth was immediately suspended on February 20 from all team activities. We take these types of matters very seriously and proceed to watch the situation.
The university has since removed Smyth’s sports profile from its athletics page, although an existing account shows that he attended a gathering just three days before his alleged victim reported the assault.