Kellen Winslow Jr., former NFL tight end, has been sentenced to 14 years for sexual misconduct.
What We Know:
- Kellen Winslow Jr., who was once a first-round pick in the NFL and played for a number of teams, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison. Reports mention that 14 years was the maximum amount of time Winslow Jr. was allowed to serve under a plea deal made. He was convicted for numerous crimes, which ranged from forcible rape to indecent exposure.
- Winslow Jr. was convicted in a 2019 jury trial for the charges of rape of an unconscious person, forcible rape, indecent exposure, lewd conduct in person, and assault with the intent to commit rape. The receivers of Winslow Jr.’s acts have since then spoken of how these incidents have affected them. An unhoused woman who was involved in the forcible rape case has stated that she is constantly checking under beds and closets. She claims that she fears being alone. “It’s affecting my life every day and every night,” and “I don’t even feel safe inside or outside” were some of the comments she made while present during the hearing via video conference from the San Diego County District Attorney’s office.
- Winslow Jr’s attorney, Marc Carlos, claimed that blows to the head while active in the NFL might have played a part in the acts he committed on these people. According to reports, Attorney Marc Carlos said that his client’s head trauma is a resulting factor of the former NFL player’s decline and malicious acts.
- The honorable Blain Bowman, San Diego County Superior Court Judge, stated that Winslow Jr. picked his victims based on their housing situation and credibility to believed in court. “It just leaves us with someone who can only be described in two words, and that is a sexual predator,” said Bowman when describing Winslow Jr.
Kellen Winslow Jr. was once facing life in prison and at another time 18 years in prison. He agreed to the crime he committed to raping a teen and sexual battery on a hitchhiker, which spared him life in prison. The sexual battery charge Winslow jr. faced was reduced to intent to commit rape, which resulted in his sentence being dropped from 18 years in prison to 14 years.