Kent State student arraigned on rape and burglary charges

Kent State junior architecture student McCoy Watkins was arraigned in Portage County Common Pleas Court Friday and charged with two first-degree felony counts of rape involving two Kent State students.

The offenses occurred after a Nov. 11 off-campus party on North Lincoln Street, according to police. Watkins is also charged with one second-degree felony count of burglary.

He was arrested after being indicted March 31 by a Portage County grand jury.

Kent State’s Flashline student directory shows Watkins is enrolled in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design at the Kent campus.

University spokesman Eric Mansfield confirmed that “Kent State has a student by that name currently enrolled,” but said he was unable to answer additional questions due to the student’s Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

According to a Kent Police Department report, Watkins assaulted the two women, one 19 years old and one 18 years old, after meeting them at a party. Both women reported Watkins was “flirty” and allegedly asked one victim and her friend for a threesome, the report stated.

One woman described Watkins as a “friend of a friend” and stated that she “didn’t know him that well.” She said she denied Watkins’ request to “come home with him” before he left the party.

Watkins allegedly returned to the home uninvited and entered through an unlocked door. A witness described him as “intoxicated” and “slurring his words and somewhat stumbling around,” according to the police report.

Watkins targeted the 19-year-old victim who was sleeping on a couch, police said. The victim tried to get up but “McCoy kept pushing her back down.”

The woman escaped and ran into a bathroom.

The second victim said Watkins climbed into her bed while she was half asleep. She told police that he “got on top of her and started to have sex with her.”

According to the police report, Watkins told the victim, “I know you want it, stop acting like you don’t.”

A status conference and pretrial are scheduled for May 31 — a jury trial is set for June 21.

Watkins’ attorney could not be reached for comment at this time.

Erin Sullivan is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].