Three Michigan State players charged with sexual assault are named and dismissed

An investigation also found no evidence that Mark Dantonio violated MSU's sexual misconduct policy

Update: Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio confirmed Tuesday that Josh King, Donnie Corley and Demetric Vance were charged with sexual assault and announced they have been dismissed from the program "regardless of the final outcome of the criminal process."

"Sexual assault has no place in our community and I want to share my deep concern for the young woman affected and her family," Dantonio said.

"This is an extremely challenging situation that we have taken very seriously and has affected everyone in this program. The high standards I have established for this program will not change and the values that we teach to everyone in this program will be enforced." 

The players' names were kept under wraps throughout the entire investigation. There are now warrants out for their arrests.

Original story

The Ingham County Prosecutors Office is charging three Michigan State football players with sexual assault stemming from an alleged on-campus incident at an apartment in the early hours of Jan. 16. The trio of players, who have still not been publicly identified, were suspended in February. 

A Michigan State spokesman confirmed to the Detroit Free Press that assistant Curtis Blackwell, who worked as the director of college advancement and performance, violated the school's relationship violence and sexual misconduct policy. Blackwell's contract was not renewed at the end of May. A "staff member associated with the football program" was suspended with pay in February.

A fourth Spartans player, defensive lineman Auston Robertson, was charged with third-degree sexual criminal misconduct in April from an alleged separate incident from the ones involving the aforementioned three players.

Additionally, an external investigation into Michigan State's handling of the two alleged incidents found no evidence that coach Mark Dantonio violated the school's policy. Per the report, Dantonio was made aware of the Jan. 16 incident during a meeting with a player who was not involved. Minutes later, Dantonio contacted the Office of Institutional Equity.