Former Michigan State Standout Mateen Cleaves Charged With Sexual Assault

Mateen Cleaves, a former Michigan State standout and NBA player, has been charged with a number of crimes tied to an alleged sexual assault.

Officials claim Cleaves sexually assaulted a 24-year-old woman he met at a charity golf event in 2015. The 39-year-old former three-time All-American took the woman to a motel in Grand Blanc, Michigan on September 14 of last year after offering her a ride home from a bar. He allegedly kept her in a room against her will and sexually assaulted her. The woman was able to escape after getting help from someone in a nearby room.

Cleaves has been charged with assault with intent to commit criminal sexual penetration, criminal sexual conduct in the second degree, unlawful imprisonment and two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree. He is expected to turn himself in on Thursday morning.

The prosecutor in the case claimed the evidence against Cleaves was strong:

"The evidence in this case will show that the alleged actions of this defendant were not only criminal but arose out of the sense of entitlement sometimes found in prominent people."

Word broke that Cleaves was under investigation for sexual assault back in October, but information about the case had had been scarce since.

Cleaves, a native of Flint, Michigan, was a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year (1998-99), helped lead the Spartans to a national title in 2000 and was named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player that year. He is still the Big Ten’s all-time assists leader with 816, and number was retired by Michigan State in 2007.

Cleaves spent parts of six seasons in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons, Sacramento Kings, Cleveland Cavaliers and Seattle Sonics.