Hokie RB Suspended, Charged w/Contributing (c/p)

Mar 5, 2015, 8:47 AM

(sorry if deutsche)

Hokies RB Shai McKenzie suspended indefinitely after being charged for incident with minors

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Posted: Wednesday, March 4, 2015 1:58 pm

By Andy Bitter | The Roanoke Times

Running back Shai McKenzie has been suspended indefinitely from all team activities by Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer after being charged with two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Cameron Austin, the Roanoke Times' cops and courts reporter for the New River Valley, has the details of McKenzie's charges here:

From the article:

Warrants filed in Montgomery County Court last week detail that McKenzie, 19, and Devin A. Gavion, 18, a fellow Virginia Tech student, were being investigated for carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15.

Gavion has been charged with one count of felony carnal knowledge and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to Becky Wilburn, Christiansburg Police spokeswoman. Gavion is a freshman business information technology major according to the Virginia Tech directory.

Police obtained a warrant for McKenzie and Gavion's DNA on Feb. 27 after two girls, one 15 years old and another 14, met two adult males using social media, who they later identified as McKenzie and Gavion.

The warrant states that an investigation included information that the group met at a home in Christiansburg "and it was revealed" they "had sexual intercourse" between Feb. 11 and Feb. 15. Four condoms were also recovered from the residence, according to the warrant.

Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock wrote in an email that McKenzie has been suspended indefinitely:

"We are aware of the situation and misdemeanor arrest," he wrote. "We take these matters seriously. Coach Beamer has suspended Shai indefinitely from all team related activities as of yesterday. It's in the hands of the proper authorities and we will respect the process."

McKenzie, who ran for 269 yards and three touchdowns in an injury-shortened freshman season, has been rehabbing his surgically repaired ACL this offseason. He participated in offseason workouts, even as recently as yesterday afternoon.

Virginia Tech's university policy only requires an automatic suspension if a student-athlete is charged with a felony, although the nature of this case likely prompted the indefinite suspension

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