A case that spans campuses and continents
Former New Mexico State University guard Deshawndre Washington missed a scheduled court hearing on Monday, prompting Judge Conrad Perea to issue a bench warrant for his arrest. The warrant underscores the gravity with which the state views the allegations against him.
Washington is charged with fifteen counts that include second‑degree criminal sexual penetration, false imprisonment and conspiracy to commit criminal sexual misconduct. Prosecutors allege a pattern of abuse that lasted over a year and involved multiple victims within the university’s basketball program.
The legal saga is not isolated. Two of Washington’s former teammates, Kim Aiken Jr. and Doctor Bradley, were separately charged in 2023 with 11 and 13 felonies respectively. Both have pleaded not guilty, and their cases have been tangled with Washington’s, creating a complex web of accusations that has drawn statewide attention.
Compounding the pressure, former NMSU head coach Greg Heiar was dismissed from his position in February 2023 amid the growing scandal. The university has also faced a civil lawsuit filed in November 2023 by former players who claim they were sexually assaulted and that the institution failed to protect them. The complaint alleges that Washington’s possession of a firearm and prior use of weapons heightened the threat environment for his teammates.
Adding an international twist, Washington is currently playing professionally in Lebanon, competing in the Decathlon Lebanese Basketball Championship for Sagesse Sports Club. His overseas stint illustrates how legal troubles can follow athletes beyond the borders of their original institutions, raising questions about accountability and the reach of domestic justice systems.
The trial has already been postponed six times, each delay extending the uncertainty for the victims, the defendants and the broader university community. As the case moves forward, it will likely serve as a benchmark for how colleges handle allegations of sexual misconduct within athletic programs.