Matt Araiza. Shawn Dowd / USA TODAY NETWORK

DA reaches decision in Matt Araiza sexual assault case

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated 12/7/22

Matt Araiza was cut by the Buffalo Bills over the summer after he faced allegations of sexual assault, but the punter will not face criminal charges.

The San Diego district attorney’s office announced on Wednesday that no criminal charges will be filed against Araiza or the other two members of the 2021 San Diego State football team who were named in a civil lawsuit.

"Ultimately, prosecutors determined it is clear the evidence does not support the filing of criminal charges and there is no path to a potential criminal conviction. Prosecutors can only file charges when they ethically believe they can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt."

— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) December 7, 2022

“Ultimately, prosecutors determined it is clear the evidence does not support the filing of criminal charges and there is no path to a potential criminal conviction,” the DA’s office said. “Prosecutors can only file charges when they ethically believe they can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Araiza and two of his former San Diego State teammates were named in a lawsuit that was filed on Aug. 25. In the suit, a woman said the three men gang-raped her at an off-campus party in October 2021. She was 17 at the time. The allegations against Araiza and the other two former SDSU players were graphic and troubling.

Araiza, who won the Ray Guy Award last year as the best punter in college football, was drafted by the Bills in the sixth round. The Bills reportedly knew about the allegations for weeks before they cut him.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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