USU football player arrested after report of sexual assault in campus dorms

LOGAN, Utah — Police arrested a Utah State University football player Sunday over accusations of sexual assault involving breaking into a campus dorm.

Investigators believe Isamel (Izzy) Kalani Vaifo’ou reportedly entered multiple suites on different floors of Building D of the Living Learning Center, according to the probable cause statement. 

One female student reported she was sleeping in her private bedroom inside her apartment suite when she woke up to the sound of the common room door opening and closing. Each apartment suite is laid out with a common room that leads to a hallway with separate doors to five individual bedrooms. 

Although the bedroom doors have locks, several suites are often left unlocked so students can come and go as they please. 

The female student said she texted her roommate who was sleeping in another bedroom in the suite to ask what was happening. Moments later, police say Vaifo’ou, 22, entered her room (which was the first in the hallway) and walked toward her bed. 

When she asked who he was, he reportedly left. 

The second roommate, who was asleep at the time, reported she woke up to find Vaifo’ou in her bed wearing nothing but his underwear, according to the statement. She said she pushed him and told him to get out. 

Campus police said a witness who spoke with the second roommate after the incident was reported, told them Vaifo’ou sexually assaulted her. That same witness told police the student-athlete had also entered his apartment suite and another that night. 

According to campus police, the witness claimed Vaifo’ou told him he was intoxicated and interacted with a female student in a dark apartment room. The witness, who interacted with the student-athlete in the hallway, said he left Vaifo’ou to get help. 

Officers responding to the scene report finding Vaifo’ou on the first floor of the apartment building, allegedly showing signs of alcohol impairment. He was reportedly taken to a local hospital before officers transported him to the USU police department. 

Police said Vaifo’ou confirmed the incident and said he didn’t know the students he interacted with. 

The freshman student-athlete is being held at the Cache County Jail on suspicion of forcible sexual abuse, one count of burglary, two counts of trespassing and one count of intoxication. The incident is still under investigation by campus police. 

As a result of the sexual assault allegations, Vaifo’ou has also been suspended from the football team and is barred from campus unless accompanied by campus police.