West Point cadet faces rape charge in Pa. court

A 19-year-old rising sophomore at the U.S. Military Academy faces rape and other charges relating to an alleged March incident in Pennsylvania that reportedly involved an unconscious woman.

Tyler Lampe is free on bail after a July 14 arraignment in West Chester, about an hour west of Philadelphia, where the alleged assault took place. Police say a 19-year-old woman reported she'd been assaulted by Lampe while sleeping around 2 a.m. on March 18 — the day after St. Patrick's Day — according to The (West Chester) Daily Local News, citing court documents. She told officers that she woke up during the attack and that a male friend pulled Lampe off of her.

Lampe, who was on the Army West Point football roster as a freshman but did not see playing time, faces two felony rape charges, a sexual assault charge and other counts related to the incident. He plans to plead not guilty to all of them when he returns to court Sept. 20, his lead counsel, Arthur Donato, told Army Times on Friday.

"In the meantime, we're doing our investigation, and we'll be prepared to proceed on that date," Donato said. "It would be inappropriate for me to talk about the facts here, but I can tell you that Tyler Lampe is a very good young man. ... These allegations are not consistent with his character."

The rising sophomore "will remain on administrative leave away from West Point until the legal proceedings are completed," academy spokesman Lt. Col. Christopher Kasker said in a statement. "Academy leadership has not yet determined what action, if any, will be taken against the cadet."

The school is cooperating with Army and Chester County (Pa.) investigators, Kasker said, and has done so since learning about the investigation "earlier this year." Donato said he has not been contacted by the school or any other Army officials.

Lampe, of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, was listed on the Black Knights' online spring football roster as recently as April 13. Head coach Jeff Monken said earlier that month that Lampe would not participate in spring drills, per Sal Interdonato of the (Middletown, N.Y.) Times Herald-Record.