SAN DIEGO — A former San Diego State football player, who was previously investigated in connection with the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl, pleaded not guilty Thursday to a child pornography possession charge.
Nowlin Ewaliko, 20, was one of three former SDSU players investigated by the San Diego Police Department in connection with an alleged October 2021 rape at an off-campus house party.
The San Diego County District Attorney's Office announced late last year that no charges would be filed concerning that investigation against Ewaliko and the two other players, including Buffalo Bills draftee Matt Araiza. The three men remain defendants in a civil lawsuit filed by the alleged victim.
During the police investigation into the rape allegations, SDPD Lt. Adam Sharki said detectives discovered child pornography in Ewaliko's possession.
An arrest warrant issued in the case alleged investigators found 38 videos on Ewaliko's iCloud account depicting child sexual abuse material. Seven of the videos previously had been identified as child porn by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the arrest warrant said.
The criminal complaint against Ewaliko alleges he possessed the material on April 20, 2022.
Ewaliko turned himself in to the police and was released on $200,000 bail.
If convicted of the possession count, he faces up to three years in state prison and would have to register as a lifetime sex offender, said Deputy District Attorney Franciesca Balerio.
Following Ewaliko's arraignment, defense attorney Marc Carlos said, he had not received all of the evidence in the criminal case. Consequently, he declined to address the specifics of the allegations against Ewaliko but mentioned his client has no criminal history.
Ewaliko left SDSU and no longer plays football as a result of the police investigations, Carlos said.
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