A former Michigan State student is being charged for allegedly luring a man to his dorm room with the false claim of meeting his quarterback roommate.
Aaron Gerard, who graduated this May, is at the center of a rape trial about a sexual encounter from this past April. According to the testimony of Police Detective Kelly Johnson, Gerard met a man, whose identity is being withheld for privacy reasons, while walking home from a bar.
After the two hit it off, Gerard allegedly lied saying that a quarterback to MSU’s football team was his roommate. According to NBC affiliate WILX10, the prosecution then says Gerard offered to introduce the man to his roommate. The man agreed and the two walked back to Gerard’s dorm in Abbott Hall.
Once inside the room alone, Gerard locked the door. Johnson’s testimony then says that the man fell when Gerard started to kiss him. The testimony then states that Gerard threw the already fallen man onto his bed, took off his clothes, and held the man down. Despite the man telling Gerard no and that he wasn’t gay, Gerard allegedly continued to sexually assault him.
The prosecution then says that Gerard forced the man to perform oral on the student before leaving. The man complied and ran out of the dorm room in only his shorts. His shoes and other clothes were later discovered by police in Gerard’s dorm room.
According to the Lansing State Journal, the former student and his attorney Robert Easterly deny the allegations against Gerard.
“My client maintains his innocence and vehemently denies the allegations in this matter. The accusations were so surprisingly outlandish that Mr. Gerard voluntarily submitted to, and passed a polygraph examination….the results of which have been forwarded to the Ingham County Prosecutor’s office. Mr. Gerard has been wrongfully accused and is extremely upset about the impact this has had on his life, and the potential damage to his reputation and future. But we are also confident that as this case progresses, and the facts come to light, that he will be proved innocent of any and all wrongdoing.”
Gerard claims that the man was a willing participant in the entire sexual encounter and that there was no promise of a quarterback roommate. Instead, Gerard says he expressively stated outside that the two would have sex upon returning to the dorm room. In addition, police have video showing Gerard and the man entering and leaving the dorm.
Gerard is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct, attempted sexual assault, and kidnapping. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison. That said, the court battle has just begun and Gerard’s next court date has yet to be announced.
Sources: Lansing State Journal, WILX10 NBC
