Utah Valley Basketball Player Charged With Forcible Sex Abuse

Oct 22, 2019, 12:33 PM

Zachary Mogbo, age 20 (Utah County Sheriff's Office)

(Utah County Sheriff's Office)

KSL Sports

OREM, Utah – A member of the Utah Valley University men’s basketball team was arrested and charged with forcible sex abuse and assault.

Accord to a report from the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, 20-year-old Zachary Mogbo attended a party Friday night and into Saturday morning at a home about two miles north of campus.

A 22-year-old woman told police she was dancing with Mogbo around 12:30 a.m. when the two went into a bathroom to “make out.”

She told police Mogbo began touching her private areas without permission. When she asked him to stop and attempted to leave the room, the woman told officers with the Orem Police Department that Mogbo “grabbed her by the groin attempting to hold her there,” according to the report.

The woman said she then yelled for help and kicked the suspect, trying to leave the room.

A 21-year-old friend of the woman told police he heard the yelling and went to the bathroom to help. After confronting the suspect, he said Mogbo punched him in the face. Investigators said they found bruising on the side of the man’s face consistent with his story.

Witnesses said Mogbo then made his way out of the bathroom, he punched a hole in the wall. On his way out of the house, they said another male confronted the suspect, who Mogbo reportedly told the man he had a gun and threatened to use it.

When police responded to the home, they found a vehicle outside with three males inside. They said Mogbo identified himself, and matched the description they had been given of the suspect.

They also found fresh cuts on Mogbo’s hand and jacket.

Mogbo was placed under arrest, and charged with forcible sexual abuse, assault and criminal mischief. He was also charged with possession of another person’s identity documents after police found another person’s California driver license in his pants pocket.

The Florida native played two seasons at Palm Beach State College in Boca Raton before new head coach Mark Madsen announced Mogba was transferring to UVU.

The university released a statement after the arrest.

“Zachary Mogbo transferred to Utah Valley University beginning with the 2019 fall semester, and is a newly recruited member of the 2019-20 basketball team,” the statement read. “We are aware of the accusations against him. Per athletic team rules, he was suspended pending the outcome of the investigation. We cannot comment further, and refer calls to the Orem Police Department.”

As of Tuesday, Mogbo was no longer listed on the UVU men’s basketball roster.