Utah defensive tackle Jamal Wallace has been suspended indefinitely while Salt Lake City police investigate a woman’s report that he raped her and shared videos of the encounter on Snapchat. Wallace, a senior who transferred from Tennessee, was arrested Oct. 11 on five misdemeanor counts of distributing an intimate image. He has denied the sexual assault allegation and has not been charged with rape.
Utah says it suspended Wallace the same day he was arrested. The school confirmed the suspension publicly on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 10 days later, as the No. 10 Utes prepared to host No. 14 Houston.
What is Jamal Wallace accused of?
According to a probable cause statement reported by The Salt Lake Tribune and KSL, the woman described Wallace as an off and on dating partner. She said the two met on Oct. 9 to talk about their relationship and that he forced her into sexual acts and hit her several times. She told police she later learned that he had used her phone to record the encounter and send videos to five people on Snapchat. Police said they found the videos and that the phone was in Wallace’s possession when they were made. Arrest documents say he is also under investigation for rape and forcible sodomy.
What has Jamal Wallace said?
He denies it. According to the arrest documents, Wallace told officers he did not sexually assault the woman. He said he logged into her Snapchat account to see whom she had been talking to. He was released Oct. 12 on $5,000 bond. No charges have been filed in the sexual assault investigation, and he is presumed innocent.
Why was Jamal Wallace arrested on image counts first?
The two allegations are moving on separate tracks, a detail most coverage skips. The image counts rest on digital evidence, the videos police say they recovered and the phone they say he had, which can support a quick arrest. Sexual assault cases usually take longer because prosecutors review interviews, forensic evidence and witness accounts before deciding whether to file charges. In Utah, a first offense of distributing an intimate image is a misdemeanor, and repeat offenses are third degree felonies. The same videos could also become evidence in the larger investigation.
When did Utah act?
The school says it acted on day one. Utah said it learned about the situation on Oct. 11 and immediately suspended Wallace, and it declined further comment, citing a pending legal matter. His absence drew little notice because he had played only once this season, in the opener against Idaho. The school confirmed the suspension when outlets asked about it this week.
Who is Jamal Wallace?
He is a 6 foot 3, 313 pound lineman who started his college career at Sierra College, a California junior college. He spent two seasons at Tennessee, where injuries limited him to three games in 2024 before he played six games and made four tackles in 2025. Before this season, he went viral on social media for a video showing his elaborate film study setup at Utah.
What happens next in the Jamal Wallace case?
Salt Lake City police are still investigating, and prosecutors will decide whether to file charges beyond the image counts. Wallace remains suspended. Utah, one of four unbeaten teams left in college football, hosts Houston on Saturday night. The game will be decided in one night. The case will take much longer.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential support 24 hours a day at 800.656.HOPE (4673) and at Hotline.RAINN.org.
