Ben McLemore, a former guard for the NBA, was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals on Tuesday and sent in jail in Oregon. He is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2021 while he was a player for the Portland Trail Blazers. The charges are related to sex crimes.
The 31-year-old McLemore was recently engaged in professional basketball in Spain. He hasn’t participated in an NBA game since 2022. According to Lake Oswego, Oregon, police, he was taken into custody at Portland International Airport on an active felony warrant for one count of first-degree rape, one count of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, and two counts of second-degree sexual abuse.
The Charges against Ben McLemore
The allegations date back to October 3, 2021, while McLemore was a Trail Blazers player and there was a report of a sexual assault in Lake Oswego. After the police started their investigation, McLemore was named as a suspect.
Following his time with the Trail Blazers, McLemore started competing for professional teams abroad. He has since played for professional teams in China, Greece, and Spain. On Saturday, he made his most recent appearance for Rio Breogan against Palencia.
Although investigators were still gathering evidence, McLemore’s departure from Oregon during the inquiry caused delays, according to Lake Oswego Police.
After hearing testimony from the woman who said McLemore had assaulted her, a grand jury in Clackamas County in February returned an indictment and issued an arrest warrant for McLemore, according to police.
Flip the page to see McLemore claiming he is being falsely accused of rape.