At least ten women have spoken to the Houston Police Department alleging sexual harassment or assault by Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, according to a report.
According to Kevin Draper of the New York Times, a request for records relating to Watson or his home address led to the release of ten reports. The accusations range from unwanted touching to sexual assault, though details are limited as the records are heavily redacted.
The dates of the complaints range from September 2019 to December 2020, and Houston police interviewed the accusers between April 2 and May 20. That would mean Houston police were fielding complaints about Watson well before attorney Tony Buzbee went public with the first civil suit against the Texans quarterback, which happened in March and is separate from any criminal investigation.
Watson has not been charged with any crimes, and the status of the Houston Police Department’s investigation is unclear. One report indicated that Watson is currently subject to a grand jury investigation, which could lead to formal charges. It has also been stated that the Watson case is being looked at by the FBI, though there is some public disagreement as to why.
Watson has publicly stated that he wants to be traded by the Texans, a stance he had taken before the allegations were made public. There has been a recent increase in trade rumors surrounding the 25-year-old quarterback, but the most likely scenario still appears to involve him starting the season on Houston’s bench.
