Antonio Ross, a now-former walk-on for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, was arrested on a sexual assault charge stemming from an incident involving a juvenile female victim on Monday (September 11), AL.com reports.
Ross, 19, was charged with second-degree sodomy and booked into Calhoun County Jail before being released on a $50,000 bond. The former walk-on player was arrested at his home in Weaver, Alabama, by local police, who worked alongside the Anniston Police Department.
Weaver Police Lt. Andy Hunter credited the Anniston Police Department for "an outstanding job gathering information and conducting interviews before it was discovered the alleged crime took place in the jurisdiction of Weaver" during the investigation that proceeded Ross' arrest.
Additional details about the incident weren't made available to the public at the time of AL.com's report on Tuesday (September 12).
Hunter said the juvenile female victim was interviewed at the Calhoun County Children's Advocacy Center in relation to the case.
“This case highlights the need for these centers and funding for child advocacy workers who are specifically trained to interview children in a safe and comfortable space,’' Hunter said via AL.com. “The investigation led to a decision to forward the case to a Calhoun County Grand Jury, which took place during the week of August 28th, 2023.”
The University of Alabama issued a statement to AL.com in which it confirmed Ross was "no longer part of the program and has been removed from campus." Alabama's roster page for Ross, who was listed in the Crimson Tide's 2023 media guide as "Tonio Ross," has been removed from RollTide.com.
Ross had previously committed to Liberty prior to then-head coach Hugh Freeze accepting the same position at Auburn, at which point the 19-year-old reopened his recruitment and instead opted to walk-on at in-state Alabama. Ross recorded 29 touchdowns during his senior year at Alexandria High School, according to AL.com.
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