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COPPELL, Texas — A new recruit for Brigham Young University’s football team was recently arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault and possession of marijuana, police said.
Charles West, a three-star running back at Coppell High School in Texas, signed a letter of intent to play for BYU on Feb. 4. He was arrested Feb. 6 for an incident that took place on Jan. 28, according to Sgt. Sammy Lujan of the Coppell Police Department.
Police said they received a 911 call from a woman about a disturbance on Jan. 28. There were small lacerations from a knife on the woman’s body, according to Lujan.
“She was contacted from a website where she advertises for services that entail foot fetishes and dominatrix activities,” he said. “She was dropped off at the location and that’s where the disturbance stems from.”
West was at the residence when officers arrived, according to Lujan. He said investigators believe West didn’t want to pay the woman for her services, so he physically assaulted her with a knife.
If convicted, Lujan said West could face two to 20 years in prison, plus a $10,000 fine, for the second degree felony aggravated assault. West was also charged with possession of marijuana. He was booked into jail near Coppell on Feb. 6.
West's attorney Hunt Bonneau said that "at the right time, when the facts and evidence are analyzed in the right forum, it will be evident that they do not support the accusations that have been brought against Charles." He said he wanted to thank the BYU coaching staff and its administration for its support through the legal process, in addition to the cooperation of Coppell police.
"When someone is even accused of a crime, it is critical to allow the justice system to play its role in separating facts from mere accusations," Bonneau said in a statement. "As much as Charles would like to speak about his current circumstances, he has agreed with my advice to continue cooperating with system to take its due course."
