A former San Diego State football player, once the target of a notorious gang-rape investigation, was in custody Thursday, suspected of possessing child pornography.
Nowlin George Ewaliko, 20, was one of three ex-SDSU players named in an August civil suit as San Diego police investigated a reported gang rape off-campus in the College Area in October 2021.
More than a year later, in December, prosecutors elected not to file charges in the case, involving a girl, aged 17 and a high school student at the time of the alleged rape.
They did, however, at that time name Ewaliko as the subject of an investigation into alleged possession of unlawful pornography, while noting that the new probe was not connected “in any way to the alleged sexual assault.”
Sex crimes investigators served multiple search warrants during the initial case and recovered several terabytes of digital evidence. Amid the data, police said Thursday, detectives found “child sexual abuse material” in Ewaliko’s possession.
His case was turned over to investigators from the San Diego Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Police obtained a court-authorized arrest warrant based on their investigation.
Ewaliko turned himself in, police said, and has been booked into San Diego County Jail on one felony charge of possession of child pornography.
Authorities named no one else in connection with the rape case, but the civil suit filed by the victim, identified only as Jane Doe, alleged that two other SDSU football players, including Matt Araiza, assaulted her.
Araiza, who had received national awards and attention for his prowess as a punter, was selected in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. Days after the suit became public, the Bills released Araiza, who had played in two preseason games.