A former Bucks County high school football player courted by Penn State University has been found not guilty of raping a 16-year-old girl last year. But 19-year-old Zamire Cottrell will still spend at least four years in prison for his action at a house party in Northeast Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Chelsey Lightsey sentenced the Bensalem man July 15 to four to 10 years in prison for engaging in unlawful contact with a minor, a first-degree felony offense with a potential 20 maximum prison sentence. Cottrell will also be required to serve three years of probation after he is released.
Earlier this year, a Philadelphia jury found Cottrell not guilty of rape and sexual assault charges involving a teen who attended a March 2023 party, but convicted him of unlawful sexual contact with a minor. Additional related charges in the incident were dismissed.
Cottrell was “indefinitely suspended” following his arrest in April 2023 from Conwell-Egan Catholic High School in Bristol Township. He did not return to the school, nor graduate from there.
Before his April 2023 arrest, Cottrell, who was in his senior year, posted on social media that he verbally committed to attend Penn State as a “preferred walk on” football player. Cottrell said he also got college offers from Temple University and St. Francis.
Cottrell and friends attended a house party on Wildflower Lane in the city’s Northeast section after they were kicked out of a concert event at Tyler State Park in Bucks County for drinking, according to court documents.
Police allege the victim went to check on her friend who was in a bedroom of the home after she became sick after drinking too much alcohol, when Cottrell locked the door.
The victim alleged Cottrell raped her while she told him she did not want to have sex and that he was hurting her, the affidavit said.
Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com
Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com
Local Philadelphia, PA
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