A former director of sports medicine at North Carolina State University, Robert M. Murphy Jr., has been arrested in Florida on criminal charges related to alleged sexual abuse of male athletes. Murphy was taken into custody in Marion County on Wednesday night and is being held on fugitive warrants from North Carolina. He faces nine felony counts of sexual contact under the guise of medical treatment and 23 counts of sexual battery, a misdemeanor, according to a grand jury indictment from September 14. These charges are tied to 14 victims who were interviewed during a multiyear investigation. The case initially began with a federal civil lawsuit filed by a single athlete four years ago, who alleged years of misconduct by Murphy, including inappropriate touching during massages and intrusive observation during drug testing. Over time, the case moved to state court in 2025, with 14 former athletes as plaintiffs, later expanding to 31 individuals. A judge dismissed the lawsuit in June due to procedural issues, though the athletes' attorneys have appealed the decision. The alleged misconduct is said to have occurred between 2016 and 2021. Murphy faces multiple charges related to two accusers, with some counts classified as felonies. According to the lawsuit, former athletic director Debbie Yow and other school officials were aware of concerns about Murphy's behavior but did not investigate or stop him from working with male athletes. Murphy’s attorneys, Jared Hammett and Seth Blum, have denied any wrongdoing by their client. They pointed out that law enforcement had previously concluded there was not enough evidence to support charges and questioned the current prosecution. They referenced a 2022 statement by N.C. State indicating that campus police had investigated Murphy but did not file criminal charges at the time. Attorney Kerry Sutton, who has represented the athletes since the original case, noted that the number of athletes coming forward with similar allegations has grown to 35. He described the recent criminal charges as a significant development for the victims. Most of the 31 athletes in the lawsuit were "John Doe" plaintiffs to protect their identities, while two former men's soccer players were named. One of the named plaintiffs, Benjamin Locke, filed the original complaint in August 2022, alleging misconduct dating back to 2015. Locke’s lawsuit claimed that former men's soccer coach Kelly Findley raised concerns in 2016 about Murphy’s behavior, calling it "consistent with 'grooming' behavior." Findley reportedly requested Murphy be removed from his role as the team’s trainer, but Murphy was reassigned in 2013 and returned to the soccer team in 2014. N.C. State has stated it is aware of the criminal charges against Murphy and emphasized that sexual misconduct is unacceptable. The university said the health and safety of students and student-athletes is its priority and that it would cooperate with law enforcement.