Joshua Matthew Sills (Blue Gold Sports/YouTube)
A 25-year-old offensive lineman on the Philadelphia Eagles is accused of holding a woman against her will and sexually assaulting her in Ohio over three years ago, authorities said.
A Guernsey County grand jury indicted Joshua Matthew Sills on one count of rape and one count of kidnapping, both first-degree felonies, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Guernsey County Sheriff Jeffrey D. Paden announced Monday.
“Sills engaged in sexual activity that was not consensual and held a victim against her will,” a news release from the AG’s office states. “The crime was immediately reported, and the Guernsey County Sheriff’s Office conducted a detailed investigation.”
According to a copy of the indictment obtained by Law&Crime, the grand jury found there was probable cause that Sills engaged in sexual conduct with a woman on Dec. 5, 2019.
According to a police report obtained by ESPN, the victim said Sills grabbed the woman by the arm and pulled her back into a truck when the football player dropped her and her cousin off at her home.
According to the report, she said that after her cousin got out of the vehicle, he grabbed her ponytail, tried to kiss her, and take her pants off despite her pleas to stop.
A medical examination revealed that the victim had bruising on the back of her throat, inner lip, right ear, and knees.
The victim reportedly went to high school with Sills, and said she knew him for about seven or eight years before the alleged assault.
According to NFL Network journalist Ian Rapoport, the Eagles on Wednesday placed Sills on the Commissioner Exempt List following his indictment, meaning he is prohibited from traveling with the team or participating in games or practices.
The Eagles are scheduled to play against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII in Arizona on Feb. 12.
“The organization is aware of the legal matter involving Josh Sills,” according to a statement to ESPN. “We have been in communication with the league office and are in the process of gathering more information. We have no further comment at this time.”
Stills played college football at West Virginia and Oklahoma State before being drafted as an unsigned free agent in April. He played in one game during the 2022-2023 season.
(image via Blue Gold Sports/YouTube)
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