UM football players arrested on sexual battery charges

Alex Figueroa and JaWand Blue arrested on Tuesday

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Coral Gables police arrested two University of Miami football players on sexual battery charges.

Alexander Figueroa, 20, and JaWand Blue, 20, were arrested Tuesday morning following an incident that occurred on July 5.

According to the police report, the juvenile victim states that Figueroa and Blue brought her back to a dorm room on the university campus and committed a sexual battery.

DOCUMENT:  Police arrest report

The alleged assault took place at Pearson Hall.

The report states that both players administered a narcotic, anesthetic, or other intoxicating substance that mentally or physically incapacitated the victim. It was then that the report says that Figueroa and Blue each sexually assaulted the woman.

During a police interview, Figueroa and Blue admitted to buying the alcoholic beverages and giving them to the victim and then bringing her back to Blue's room and performing sexual acts on her without consent.

Figueroa and Blue were each charged with sexual battery on a physically helpless victim. Figueroa was additionally charged with possession of a stolen/fictitious drivers license.

Both players were later dismissed from the football team by school athletic director Blake James.

"Earlier today, I permanently dismissed Jawand Blue and Alexander Figueroa from the UM football team," Blake said in a statement. "The University has also suspended the students from school and barred them from all campus facilities while the University conducts an internal investigation and continues to cooperate with local law enforcement."

"The safety and welfare of our students is fundamental to our mission as a university," University of Miami President Donna Shalala said today. "We have zero tolerance for sexual assault and gender-based violence. There is no confusion about our responsibility as a university: We will fully and compassionately support the victim of sexual assault.  I have spoken to her myself and reassured her of our full support."

The crime was first reported to the University of Miami Police and was investigated by Coral Gables Police detectives.

On the Miami Hurricanes football website, both Figueroa and Blue were listed as sophomore linebackers. Figueroa is from Stafford, Va. while Blue is from Boca Raton.

Miami-Dade Corrections reported they were bonding out and the Miami-Dade state attorney's office said they were scheduled to be arraigned July 29, The Miami Herald reported.