Villanova football player accused of sexual assault faces more charges after third alleged victim comes forward

A Villanova University football player is facing additional charges after a third woman came forward this week alleging he sexually assaulted her, Delaware County prosecutors said Thursday.

Iyanu Solomon, 19, was charged with aggravated indecent assault without consent, indecent assault, and simple assault after another female student at the university filed a report with campus police following news coverage of his earlier arrest. He remained in custody Thursday in lieu of 10% of $250,000 bail.

The woman in the latest case told Villanova University police earlier this week that in September 2019, Solomon, a sophomore and linebacker, invited her to his dorm room, where he forcefully held her and penetrated her with his fingers, according to the police complaint.

The woman was a freshman at the time and told police she met Solomon through Snapchat. When she arrived at his Stanford Hall dorm to watch a movie, there were three other people in the room. She first sat on the floor, then Solomon invited her to sit next to him on the bed, the complaint says. He placed a blanket on top of them to obscure the view from the others in the room, then started to touch her thighs and rub her.

Solomon forcefully touched the woman throughout her body “in a way that caused her to wince in pain,” the complaint alleges. The woman told police that as a first-semester student, “she felt trapped and was afraid to say anything or make a scene in the room” out of fear that it could have a negative effect on her and her college experience.

When the other women in the room began to leave, the woman took this as an opportunity to also leave. Solomon repeatedly invited the woman back to his room in the following weeks, but she never returned, the complaint says.

Solomon’s attorney, Daniel Bush, called the women’s accusations “lies.”

“There are not strength in numbers, and the mere fact that other baseless allegations exist does not mean any of them is true. Each version of these stories is untrue, and we look forward to proving Mr. Solomon’s innocence,” he said in an email statement.

Two other women have accused Solomon of assault and harassment. Solomon was arrested earlier this month after a woman accused him of forcing her to perform a sex act on him against her will. After news coverage of his arrest, another woman came forward to campus police with allegations that he repeatedly touched her despite pleas for him to stop.

Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer called the allegations “deeply disturbing” and lauded the Villanova Police Department’s swift action and sensitivity to the case.

“Our hearts go out to the victims who have stepped forward, and we commend them for their courage,” Stollsteimer said in a statement.

Solomon also faces burglary and related charges after police say he and another student were caught stealing nearly $1,400 in equipment from the Jake Nevin Field House at Villanova’s campus in February 2020.

He was listed as Elijah Solomon on the Villanova football team’s 2020 roster. He has since been removed from the campus.

Staff writer Vinny Vella contributed to this article.