UPDATE: Stillwater Police investigating claim of sexual assault against AJ Ferrari

Jason Elmquist, Stillwater NewsPress, Okla.
·2 min read

Jul. 13—The Stillwater Police Department announced that its Criminal Investigations Department is investigating a report of sexual assault made against AJ Ferrari, an NCAA wrestling champion who is no longer with the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Ferrari recently had an emergency protective order issued against him, and on Wednesday Oklahoma State released a statement that John Smith had announced Ferrari is no longer a part of the program.

Attorney Derek Chance, representing Ferrari on behalf of the Chance Law firm, denied the allegations against his client in a statement shared with the News Press.

"The allegations against AJ are false," Chance wrote. "It is unfortunate that a student athlete can become a target, primarily because of their status as an elite athlete. AJ is cooperating with law enforcement and is confident the truth will come out. He appreciated his time at Okla State, but he and the University mutually agreed a change was appropriate."

An emergency protective order was filed by a Stillwater woman on July 5, and was granted by Judge Katherine Thomas on the same day. A hearing has been scheduled for July 18 for a full protective order against Ferrari, a 2020 NCAA champion who missed much of this past season after a car wreck.

The person who filed the protective order accused Ferrari of unwanted sexual contact and said she reported it to the Stillwater Police Department.

"On Saturday, July 2, 2022, at 4 p.m. Stillwater Police Department responded to a report of a sexual assault investigation that occurred within our jurisdiction. The suspect in the case has been identified as, Albert James Ferrari Jr," the report reads. "The case is currently under investigation by our Criminal Investigation's Unit. SPD is committed to thoroughly investigating these cases. Once the investigation is complete the case will be submitted to the Payne County District Attorney's Office for consideration of filing charges."

The Payne County District Attorney's office told the News Press on Wednesday that the office had not been presented with a case related to Ferrari.

"EPOs do not come to us or through us unless they have been violated. We have not been presented any criminal charges for review at this time but it is possible a law enforcement agency is investigating if the allegations were reported," Payne County Assistant District Attorney Debra Vincent told the News Press.

Follow News Press sports editor Jason Elmquist on Twitter @jelmquistSW for updates on Oklahoma State and high school athletics.