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Donnie Corley, Josh King and Demetric Vance

(MLive file photos)

EAST LANSING -- Michigan State football players Donnie Corley, Josh King and Demetric Vance are all facing charges of criminal sexual conduct.

Arrest warrants for third degree criminal sexual conduct for all three were issued on Tuesday morning in 54-B District Court in East Lansing, following a hearing in front of Judge Richard D. Ball. Michigan State University police officer Chad Davis provided testimony.

Third degree criminal sexual conduct is a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

King is also charged with a second count of first degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of capturing/distributing an image of an unclothed person.

First degree criminal sexual conduct is punishable by up to life in prison.

The charges stem from an alleged Jan. 16 incident in an on-campus apartment, and come after a four-month investigation by the Michigan State University Police.

The identities of the three players were kept secret throughout the investigation, and weren't revealed until charges were issued on Tuesday morning.

Ingham County Prosecutor Carol Siemon announced on Monday that her office had decided to authorize the charges.

The three players are currently suspended from the team and have been removed from university housing. A Michigan State spokesperson said on Monday afternoon that "the athletics department will address the situation once charges are issued."

The criminal investigation is the second to find wrongdoing on the part of the three players. A Title IX investigation completed last month found that the three players violated Michigan State's relationship violence and sexual misconduct policy.

The Title IX report was forwarded to the school's student conduct office, which will levy a punishment on the three players.

The prosecutor also announced on Monday that it would not seek charges in a fourth warrant request against a former member of the Michigan State football staff. That charge was for a non-sexual crime.

That staff member was not named. However, the university confirmed that they had suspended Curtis Blackwell on Feb. 9 in connection with the sexual assault investigation. His contract was not renewed when it expired on May 31. An external investigation commissioned by Michigan State found that Blackwell violated university policy when he spoke with Corley, King and Vance and didn't report what he learned to police or the school.

In total, four Michigan State players have now been charged with sexual assault this offseason. Auston Robertson, a former defensive end, was charged with third degree criminal sexual conduct in April, after it's alleged he followed a woman into her apartment and assaulted her her. Robertson is free on bond and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for later this month in 55th District Court.

Corley came to East Lansing as a celebrated four-star wide receiver, after leading Detroit King to a state championship in 2015.

He played in all 12 games as a true freshman, and was one of only two to play in the team's season opener. He finished second on the team in receiving yards, with 453, plus third in catches with 33 and third in touchdowns with three.

He also added defensive duties partway through the season, debuting as a cornerback against Michigan. He also had brief duties as a return man.

As a sophomore, Corley is slated to be the team's leading returning wide receiver and the most dynamic member of a young but talented group.

King was another one of nine true freshmen to play for the Spartans in 2016. He made his debut in the third game of the year, against Wisconsin, and finished with nine games under his belt, including two starts at defensive end late in the year.

The highest-rated prospect of the program's 2016 recruiting class, King recorded 10 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in 2016. He was expected to compete for a starting job this fall.

Vance came to Michigan State from Cass Tech as a four-star recruit in the school's 2016 recruiting class. He redshirted in his true freshman season.