VIRGINIA BEACH — A U.S. Navy sailor is under investigation for rape, and possibly using Xanax to do it, according to court documents.
Dashawn Nichol is an active member of the military. He was arrested by a member of his command after a woman accused him of raping her on June 26, according to documents filed in Virginia Beach Circuit Court.
It is unclear where Nichol works, but Naval Criminal Investigative Service spokesman Ed Buice confirmed that he is being investigated for “sexual assault-related allegations.”
The investigation began after Nichol’s friend said she woke up in his apartment wearing only her underwear, court documents state.
The woman said she was hanging out with Nichol at his Virginia Beach apartment, located in the 1400 block of Taureau Court, on June 26. Nichol played her a video on his phone of his friends “high on Xanax,” then showed her a pill he claimed was Xanax that he’d confiscated from the group because they were too intoxicated, according to court documents.
After they watched the video, the woman left her drink unattended in the room and went to the bathroom. She claims she blacked out after she finished her drink, court documents state.
The woman told police she doesn’t remember anything about the night, but that when she woke up Nichol told her they’d had sex. The woman said she doesn’t remember having sex with Nichol, and decided to have a rape kit done, according to court documents.
The Virginia Beach Police Department contacted an agent at NCIS to tell them about the alleged rape. NCIS told the police that Nichol was arrested at his apartment by a military member.
Police decided to leave him in the custody of the military, court documents state.
“Yes, he is in the brig,” Buice said.
In a July 31 search of his apartment, police confiscated a black iPhone 6 Plus. The VBPD does not currently have an active warrant for his arrest.
Send news tips to [email protected].
