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OREM — A Utah Valley University basketball recruit has been charged after police say he sexually abused a woman at a party and physically assaulted a man.
Zachary Emmanuel Mogbo, 20, who currently lives in Orem but is originally from Florida, was charged Tuesday in 4th District Court with forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony; possession of someone else’s ID, a class A misdemeanor; assault, a class B misdemeanor; and criminal mischief, a class B misdemeanor.
Friday night, Mogbo went to a house party near 300 North and 900 West in Orem. Mogbo did not know the woman who was hosting the party prior to Friday, according to charging documents.
Early Saturday morning, the woman and Mogbo “were dancing together. The two agreed to go to a bathroom to ‘make out,’” the charges state.
But as they were kissing, Mogbo started to touch the woman inappropriately, according to charging documents. When Mogbo persisted in touching the woman despite her saying no, she tried to leave the room, but Mogbo grabbed her, the charges state.
“This ripped her clothing in the groin area and left marks on her leg and back,” according to charging documents.
The woman called for help and a 21-year-old man went to the bathroom to assist her. When he confronted Mogbo, Mogbo punched the man in the face before punching a hole in the drywall of the bathroom and leaving, the charges state. He also “punched the garage door leaving dents on it” and “was also heard making a threat toward (the man) and another witness relating to a gun he owns.”
When he was arrested, police found Mogbo in possession of another man’s California driver’s license in his pocket.
Bail was set at $10,000.
Utah Valley University spokesman Scott Trotter said Mogbo transferred to UVU this semester as a newly recruited member of the 2019-20 basketball team. “We are aware of the accusations against him. Per athletic team rules, he was suspended pending the outcome of the investigation,” Trotter said in a statement.
The 6-foot-7, 230-pound power forward played two seasons at Palm Beach State before transferring to UVU, according to a May post on the school’s website.
