Bixby teens charged with rape appear at news conference

TULSA — The four ex-football players at the Bixby High School, charged with the sexual assault of a teammate, are set to appear with their attorney Friday afternoon at a news conference.

A statement from the attorneys, released before the news conference, says, “The clear and consistent statements of all persons with knowledge confirm that this was not a sexual assault, but was part of a prankish, roughhousing culture on the football team.”

Special prosecutor Matt Ballard on Thursday filed a second-degree rape by instrumentation charge against the teens.

They each face up to 15 years in prison.

Prosecutors are still investigating whether school officials took too long to tell police about the accusation.

They say school leadership waited eight days to report what was first deemed hazing after a 16-year-old said a teammate in September assaulted him with a pool cue while others restrained him.

The superintendent resigned in December amid the fallout.