UTEP Legend Arrested On Rape Charges In New York

EL PASO, TX. – A formerUTEP football star has been arrested and charged with raping a 12-year-old girl multiple times.

John Harvey, who is still the Miners’ all-time leader in rushing yards, touchdowns and 100-yard rushing games was arrested in New York. He was one of the big stars on the Bob Stull teams of the late 1980s. Harvey, now 38 years old, was arrested earlier this week on a felony charge of rape near his home in Spring Valley, New York.

Spring Valley police toldABC-7 they had been searching for Harvey for several weeks. Harvey, who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after being drafted in 1989, played forUTEP from 1985 to 1988, helping lead the Miners to the Independence Bowl in his final season.

Harvey was suspended for that game, however, after he tested positive for marijuana. He played one season with Tampa Bay, before running into drug issues in theNFL as well. He ended up signing a two-year contract with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League in 1992 before retiring from football.

UTEP Athletic Director Bob Stull coached Harvey in his final three seasons at UTEP.ABC-7 spoke with formerUTEP Coach Bill Yung, who recruited Harvey from New York and coached him as a freshman. “Anything negative about John, would shock me, cause likeI said, any perception of him, anythingI saw for sure was always good, really positive. [He was]a great, great kid. Really good athlete.”

— Written for broadcast by Darren Hunt

— Edited for the web by Miguel Martinez