SAN DIEGO (CNS) — A former San Diego State football player, who was previously investigated in connection with the alleged gang rape of a 17-year- old girl, pleaded not guilty Thursday to a child pornography possession charge.
Court documents accuse Nowlin Ewaliko, 20, of possessing 38 videos containing child pornography in an iCloud account associated with his email address. According to the court documents, seven of those videos had been previously identified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as Child Sexual Abuse Material.
Ewaliko was one of three former SDSU players investigated by the San Diego Police Department in connection with an alleged October 2021 rape at an off-campus house party.
Previously, the San Diego District Attorney's Office stated:
"During the course of the investigation into the alleged sexual assault, SDPD opened a separate investigation into alleged possession of unlawful pornography by 19-year-old Nowlin Ewaliko. That investigation continues and is not connected in any way to the alleged sexual assault."
The District Attorney's Office announced late last year that no charges would be filed in connection with that investigation against Ewaliko and the two other players, which included Buffalo Bills draftee Matt Araiza. The three men remain defendants in a civil lawsuit filed by the alleged victim.
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During the police investigation into the rape allegations, SDPD Lt. Adam Sharki said detectives discovered child pornography in Ewaliko's possession. Police and prosecutors have not commented on the nature of that material.
The criminal complaint filed against Ewaliko alleges he possessed the material on April 20, 2022.
UPDATE: Former SDSU football player Nowlin Ewaliko leaving court after pleading Not Guilty today. He’s charged with a felony for allegedly possessing child porn UNRELATED to a gang rape case in 2021 @10News
— Natalie Chuck KGTV (@NatalieChuck) March 2, 2023
Previous story by @AdamRacusin ⬇️https://t.co/Baxvjo1fHH pic.twitter.com/z6fezqRVnE
Ewaliko turned himself in to police and has since been released from custody on $200,000 bail.
If convicted of the possession count, he faces up to three years in state prison and would have to register as a lifetime sex offender, said Deputy District Attorney Franciesca Balerio.
Following Ewaliko's arraignment, defense attorney Marc Carlos said he had not received all of the evidence in the criminal case. Consequently, he declined to address the specifics of the allegations against Ewaliko, but mentioned his client has no criminal history.
