BYU receiver Parker Kingston charged with felony rape

Parker Kingston, a receiver at BYU, has been charged with first-degree felony rape, as announced by the Washington County (Utah) Attorney’s Office on Wednesday.

This charge follows a nearly yearlong investigation, initiated after a 20-year-old woman reported a sexual assault to officers at St. George Regional Hospital. According to the release, the woman stated that Kingston assaulted her on February 23, 2025.

“Detectives from the St. George Police Department collected digital and forensic evidence,” the attorney’s office reported. “They also interviewed those involved and other witnesses. The gathered information was subsequently submitted to the Washington County Attorney’s Office for review.”

Kingston is currently being held without bail in Washington County and is set to appear in Utah’s Fifth Judicial District Court on Friday.

“Today, BYU learned of Parker Kingston’s arrest,” the athletic department stated. “The university is committed to taking any allegations seriously and will fully cooperate with law enforcement. because of federal and university student privacy laws, we cannot provide further comments.”

In the 2025 season, Kingston was BYU’s leading receiver, accumulating 66 catches for 924 yards and five touchdowns.

This incident marks the second notable allegation of rape involving a BYU football player within the last year. In May, former quarterback Jake Retzlaff faced allegations in a civil lawsuit, but the parties mutually agreed to dismiss the case in June, preventing it from being refiled. No criminal charges were pursued against Retzlaff; however, he would have faced a significant suspension for breaching BYU’s honor code, which forbids premarital sex, and subsequently transferred to Tulane.