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March 31 (UPI) -- Ziyad Fekri, a UConn men's soccer player is facing sexual assault charges related to incidents against a woman on campus, a state attorney's office said in a news release. Members of the FBI safe streets task force took Fekri into custody Monday in Elmsford, N.Y., on what the district of Tolland, Conn., State Attorney's Office said was a "fugitive from justice charge related to charges of aggravated sexual assault and unlawful restraint."
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Fekri's arrest was the result of an investigation by the University of Connecticut Police Department and the state attorney's office.
He is being held in the Westchester County Jail in Valhalla, N.Y.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, a female student reported to the school's Police Department on Feb. 15 that she was assaulted by a male student she knew. Fekri was identified as the male student.
An arrest warrant was issued and served for Fekri on Feb. 16 for an incident that occurred after midnight Feb. 13 and into the early morning Feb. 14. The warrant charged Fekri with assault in the second degree, assault in the third degree, disorderly conduct and unlawful restraint in the first degree.
Fekri, 21, posted a $75,000 bond and was released from custody. The victim placed a protective order on Fekri.
Fekri has not entered a plea for those charges and is due in court April 6. His attorney, John Ritson, told the Connecticut Post that he intends to plead not guilty and contests the charges.
Police continued to investigate the assault and determined Fekri was responsible for a number of additional assaults against the same victim, officials said.
"The assaults escalated as time progressed and included pulling of hair, grabbing the victim from behind around the neck, punching her in the face with closed fists, cutting the victim with a knife and two sexual assaults at knifepoint," the state attorney's office said.
Police secured an arrest warrant Friday, but were not able to locate Fekri at his assigned university housing. They discovered he was staying with friends in Elmsford.
Fekri also was charged as a fugitive from justice by police in Greenburg, N.Y. He is awaiting extradition by the University of Connecticut Police and Rockville Superior Court for the sexual assault and unlawful restraint charges.
"Ziyad Fekri is an enrolled student at this time, but was suspended from soccer team activities at the time of his February arrest and is not living in campus housing or taking in-person courses," UConn said in a statement.
Fekri is a senior fullback for the Huskies men's soccer team.
"Federal student privacy laws prevent UConn from discussing whether a conduct review has been initiated involving specific student," UConn said. "Those reviews are necessary before the university could consider whether to implement permanent disciplinary actions, including expulsion.
"UConn can take interim steps during the disciplinary process to restrict a student's participation in campus life and activities, including prohibiting a person from UConn property."
