Former NBA player Ben McLemore was taken into custody Tuesday in Portland, Oregon on charges of first-degree rape, first-degree unlawful sexual penetration and second-degree sexual abuse.
According to KGW8, McLemore was arrested on an outstanding warrant out of Clackamas County. The 31-year-old was arraigned earlier on Wednesday, April 10 where he pleaded not guilty to the charges, as reported by The Oregonian. His bail was set at $500,000.
His attorney said the required deposit of $50,000 would be posted this week.
If convicted, the two first-degree charges are considered A-level felonies and carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, while the two counts of second-degree sexual abuse carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He is set to appear back in court on July 1.
According to the Lake Oswego Police Department, a woman alleged that McLemore assaulted her at a home in a wealthy Lake Oswego neighborhood. During a lengthy investigation, McLemore moved away from Portland and began playing ball overseas.
But after testimony from the woman, a secret indictment and an arrest warrant were issued, leading to McLemore's arrest at the Portland International Airport on Tuesday,
"We applaud the courage of the survivor to come forward and put herself through this arduous process, and we will continue to support her in any way we can," police said in a statement.
McLemore was selected by the Sacramento Kings as the seventh overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. He has spent the past two years playing professional basketball overseas. In addition to the Kings, McLemore played for the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers during his nine seasons in the NBA.
