Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Former NFL safety Darren Sharper was charged Friday with drugging and raping two women, one in October and the other last month, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office announced.
Sharper was expected to be arraigned on two counts of rape by use of drugs, four counts of furnishing a controlled substance and one count of possession of a controlled substance, all felonies.
The complaint alleges the controlled substances were zolpidem and morphine.
Prosecutors said Sharper met two women at a West Hollywood nightclub on Oct. 30, 2013, invited them to another party.
On the way, he invited both women up to his Los Angeles hotel room. While there, Sharper allegedly gave each woman a shot before they passed out.
One woman woke up naked hours later with Sharper sexually assaulting her. The second woman allegedly awoke and "interrupted his actions," the motion states.
On Jan. 14, 2014, Sharper met two other women at the same nightclub and invited them to a party. Once again, he invited both to his room and offered them shots before they passed out.
When they woke up the next day, one woman believed she had been sexually assaulted. Both women left his hotel and sought medical treatment.
Sharper was arrested Jan. 17 by Los Angeles police detectives, who are investigating the case. He was released on $200,000 bail.
Prosecutors want his bail raised to $10 million because the Miami, Fla., resident is suspected of raping women in Arizona, Nevada and Louisiana.
If convicted, Sharper could face more than 30 years in state prison.
Sharper earned five Pro Bowl citations and won a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints in 2009 before his retirement following the 2010 season. The 38-year-old played for the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans and was selected to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2000s.
He began working with the NFL Network in 2012. Sharper was suspended indefinitely by the NFL Network following his arrest.