Police/Legal Blotter

[jimotis4heisman]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

Two Cyclones suspended

Gair, Thompson charged with attempted burglary

Posted: Tuesday January 25, 2005 8:44PM; Updated: Tuesday January 25, 2005 8:44PM

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AMES, Iowa (AP) -- Two Iowa State football players were suspended indefinitely Tuesday after university police charged them with attempted burglary.

ISU police said Jerry Gair, 20, and Tyease Thompson, 19, were found in another student's dormitory room on Monday. Gair is a junior defensive back from LaPlace, La. Thompson is a freshman running back from Lakeland, Fla.

<!--startclickprintexclude-->They were the second and third Iowa State football players suspended this week by coach Dan McCarney. McCarney suspended defensive end Cephus Johnson indefinitely on Monday after he was charged with assault.

Gair and Thompson each was charged with one count of second-degree attempted burglary. Thompson also was charged with interfering with official acts.

Police said they arrested Gair outside Larch Hall just before noon on Monday. Thompson fled, police said, but surrendered 6 1/2 hours later.

Both remained in the Story County jail on Tuesday. Bond was set at $10,500 for Thompson and $9,750 for Gair.

Police said they received a report that some Larch Hall residents returned to their room to find two males standing inside. The two appeared to be looking around the room, police said, and the occupants did not know them.

Several burglaries have been reported in the Larch Hall area in recent weeks. Police said they were investigating to determine if Thompson and Gair were connected to those incidents.

Thompson was suspended for Iowa State's Independence Bowl game against Miami of Ohio in December for breaking team rules. That incident did not involve a criminal charge.

A 5-foot-10, 180-pounder, Thompson played in all 11 regular-season games. He carried 21 times for 77 yards and averaged 23.8 yards on 14 kickoff returns.

Gair, a reserve, played in 11 games, making one tackle and recovering a fumble.

Johnson was a starter for the Cyclones this past season and made 23 tackles in nine games. Police said Johnson punched a man in an Ames bar earlier this month in a dispute over a woman.

a former rice player...
http://thefacts.com/story.lasso?ewcd=b2acff8f8bc8a3b5

Suspected jewel thief in jail

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD>By Michael Smith
The Facts </TD><TD align=left width=150></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Published January 27, 2005

LAKE JACKSON — Police have charged a former Rice University football player in connection with the theft of $9,200 in jewelry from a Brazos Mall store this month, and suspect he could be connected to a theft at the same store last September.

Houston police arrested Robert Marcus Holmes, 23, on Friday after he was identified as a man on surveillance camera images taking jewelry from stores in Harris, Fort Bend, Galveston and Montgomery counties, reports show.

[jimotis4heisman]

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pb.../1017/SPORTS06

ISU Football

Player admits looking for cash

Gair, Thompson face criminal charges in dormitory incident.

By TOM WITOSKY
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
January 29, 2005
An Iowa State football player arrested this week on attempted burglary charges told police he was looking for money when he and a teammate were found in a student dormitory room, court documents show.

Jerry Gair, a sophomore defensive back, made the admission during questioning by Iowa State University police after he was taken into custody Monday, according to records.

Campus police arrested Gair, 20, and Tyease Thompson, a freshman running back, on charges of attempted burglary in the second degree after they were discovered in a Larch Hall dormitory by residents of the room.

Thompson, who fled during an attempt to arrest him, also was charged with interference with official acts.

Gair's admission is detailed in an affidavit filed Thursday by Mervin Johnston, an Iowa State University patrol officer, as part of an application for a warrant to search Gair's apartment and car.

Johnston said Gair "confessed to being in the room looking for money to take." During the interview, Gair also identified Thompson as the other man in the dorm room, records show.

Documents filed in Story County District Court also indicate that police searched Gair's apartment at 4409 Toronto St. No. 2 in Ames and Thompson's dorm residence, 2345 Larch Hall.

Police were searching for two computers, a cellular telephone, a television, a Sony PlayStation and clothing. Police seized no property in the searches, records indicate.

Attempted burglary in the second degree is a Class D felony. Interference with official acts is a serious misdemeanor.

Capt. Gene Deisinger of the Iowa State University police indicated earlier this week that Gair and Thompson were under suspicion for several recent burglaries in the Larch Hall area.

Deisinger confirmed Friday that the items listed in the search warrants for Gair's and Thompson's residences are items reported to police as stolen over the last month.

Johnston's affidavit also indicates witnesses near Larch Hall said they saw a male matching Gair's description carrying what appeared to be a laptop bag. The man placed the bag into a white Camaro car with Louisiana license plates prior to his arrest, witnesses said.

Gair, of La Place , La., acknowledged he drives a Camaro with Louisiana plates, records say.

Police said they received a report of a stolen laptop and cell phone from an Iowa State student while they were investigating the burglary complaint.

Gair and Thompson, 19, were suspended from the football team following their arrests. Each played in 11 of 12 Cyclone games last season. Thompson returned the most kickoffs for the Cyclones - 14 for a 23.8-yard average - and rushed 21 times for 77 yards.

Gair recorded one tackle and one fumble recovery.

Thompson also was suspended for the Independence Bowl game for an undisclosed violation of team rules.

[jimotis4heisman]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

Huskies DL gets probation for assault
Posted: Wednesday February 2, 2005 12:38PM; Updated: Wednesday February 2, 2005 12:38PM

SEATTLE (AP) -- Washington defensive lineman Manase Hopoi has been sentenced to two years' probation in a plea agreement stemming from a bar fight.

Hopoi, a fifth-year senior from Sacramento, Calif., entered an Alford plea to fourth-degree assault Jan. 21 in King County Superior Court, not admitting guilt but agreeing that there was enough evidence to convict him.

"He took responsibility for hitting a guy," defense lawyer Michael D. Hunsinger said.

Hopoi led the Huskies with 22 tackles for a loss and nine sacks last season. He earned a fifth year of eligibility because he is on track to graduate in four years and he is expected to be one of the Pac-10's top defensive players this fall.

If he avoids legal trouble while on probation, the charges will be dismissed. He also must pay $3,713.64 in restitution, complete anger management classes and perform 240 hour of community service.

Hopoi was ordered to avoid contact with Christopher Froelich, a security guard he attacked on March 7, 2004, after he and his girlfriend were denied entry into a student fund-raiser at Aristocrats, a nightclub. Froelich said at the time he was treated for a broken bone under his left eye.

According to police reports, the fight grew into a brawl involving "30 to 40 people," and 17 officers struggled for nearly an hour to get the situation under control. Hopoi was the only person who was arrested.

A university spokesman said the Huskies' coaching staff will review the matter and will handle any disciplinary action internally.

[LightningRod]

The Iowa football program under Ferentz has more player arrests as than the Buckeye program under Tressel over the same time period. Iowa had 13 player arrests in 2002 alone. Here is the latest. Allen was permitted to play in the Capital One Bowl. LOL!!! Another coach who gets a free pass from the college football pundits - Trev: Iowa is the best program in the Big 10, and Ferentz is the best coach in the Big 10. LOL!!!

Charges pressed against Iowa's Allen
Published: Thursday, February 3, 2005
Article Tools: Page 1 of 1

Iowa cornerback Antwan Allen could lose game time next season if convicted of assault causing injury, Hawkeye coach Kirk Ferentz said on Wednesday.

Police charged the 22-year-old Wednesday for allegedly striking a man on the side of the head, breaking his jaw and knocking him unconscious in a Nov. 28 incident, more than a month before he played in the Capital One Bowl.

"This is something I was aware of prior to the game," Ferentz said.

"I informed Antwan that if charges were pressed and, more importantly, if he is found to be guilty of the charges, then there's going to be further discipline."

Allen, Iowa's interception leader, has already served community-service hours for the alleged incident, Ferentz added. If convicted, he could receive up to one year in prison and a maximum fine of $1,500.

Iowa City police Lt. Jim Steffen said the 36-day period between the alleged incident and when the charges were filed isn't unusual. He speculated that it took that amount of time for the investigating officer to find witnesses and interview them.

"We could care less if this is Antwan Allen the football player or Antwan Allen the student," Steffen said. "Our job is to get the investigation completed as quickly as possible. We're not concerned about bowl games and things like that."

Allen was released from the Johnson County Jail on Wednesday.

- by Nick Petersen

Another Iowa Player Arrested

[ysubuck]

13 in 2002 alone?!?!?!


That can't be right.

The reason that it can't be right is that I didn't hear a single thing about any of this during their bowl game. I remember Corso, Herbstreit, and Tirico spending the last half of the second quarter of the Alamo bowl going over the indiscretions at Ohio State.

WTF is going on in Iowa City?!?

[Steve19]

Originally Posted by ysubuck

13 in 2002 alone?!?!?!


That can't be right.

The reason that it can't be right is that I didn't hear a single thing about any of this during their bowl game. I remember Corso, Herbstreit, and Tirico spending the last half of the second quarter of the Alamo bowl going over the indiscretions at Ohio State.

WTF is going on in Iowa City?!?

You are going to have to ask BN27 what is really going on here.

[sandgk]

Originally Posted by Steve19

You are going to have to ask BN27 what is really going on here.

Maybe its systemic (affecting more than football).

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/news;_...v=ap&type=lgns

Pierce dismissed from Iowa basketball team.

[ysubuck]

You have got to be kidding me?!?!

This is more than a little frustrating. The hometown Columbus Dispatch just did a little write up on the Ohio State "police blotter" a couple of weeks ago.

They were comparing John Cooper and Jim Tressel and were writing about the 14 "arrests under Tressel's watch." They included Marco Cooper who was arrested about two weeks after Coach arrived on campus.

How is Ferentz and the Iowa program getting this free pass?

[sandgk]

Originally Posted by ysubuck

You have got to be kidding me?!?!

This is more than a little frustrating. The hometown Columbus Dispatch just did a little write up on the Ohio State "police blotter" a couple of weeks ago.

They were comparing John Cooper and Jim Tressel and were writing about the 14 "arrests under Tressel's watch." They included Marco Cooper who was arrested about two weeks after Coach arrived on campus.

How is Ferentz and the Iowa program getting this free pass?

Ya didn't know that Ferentz is next in line if the Vatican has to send up White Smoke? (And I'm not even sure he's Catholic!)

[BloowdBuck]

Because Iowa City is too small to have a newspaper.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

How is Ferentz and the Iowa program getting this free pass?<!-- / message -->

The reality of the question of why Iowa is getting a free pass is simple. They do not have a player on the level of MOC who they can sell papers with.

Honestly, if you were at home on the couch and watching sportscenter and they said after the break we will be talking about the troubles at Iowa and you had to take a [censored], would you hold it to watch the segment or just go?

Now imagine if they had MOC on.....its pathetic in my opinion.

[jimotis4heisman]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

Young convicted in recruiting trial

Posted: Wednesday February 2, 2005 3:42PM; Updated: Wednesday February 2, 2005 10:10PM

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- A federal jury convicted millionaire businessman Logan Young on Wednesday of paying $150,000 to get a top football recruit for Alabama.

The jury deliberated for about 5½ hours before returning the verdict.

<!--startclickprintexclude-->Young, 64, was convicted of conspiracy to commit racketeering (by breaking state bribery laws), crossing state lines to commit racketeering and arranging bank withdrawals to hide a crime.

Young could receive prison time and a large fine. No date was scheduled for sentencing.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, but federal guidelines would call for a much lighter sentence.

While the jury convicted Young on three criminal charges it still was undecided on a "forfeiture count," common in racketeering convictions, that would require Young to pay the government $150,000, the amount of money used in the conspiracy.

The jury was told to return Thursday to make that decision. In the meantime, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Breen left a gag order he issued at the beginning of the trial in place, barring the prosecution and defense from talking with the media.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Godwin, the chief prosecutor for the trial, asked Breen to set a "substantial" cash bond for Young while he awaits sentencing.

Breen rejected that request, saying Young does not present a flight risk. Young has remained free awaiting trial without bond since his indictment in October 2003.

Defense lawyers described Young during the trial as a heavy drinker who boasted about Alabama football and routinely made large cash withdrawals from his bank accounts.

Godwin also asked Breen to order Young to refrain from drinking while awaiting sentencing, but the judge instead told him to avoid "excessive" alcohol use.

The highly publicized recruitment case coincidentally ended in jurors' hands on college football's National Signing Day.

Defense attorneys used closing arguments to highlight a history of lying by the government's chief witness.

But prosecutors said bank and phone records bolstered the testimony of former high school head coach Lynn Lang.

Lang testified that Young gave him a series of cash payments below the $10,000 threshold for IRS reporting to get highly recruited defensive lineman Albert Means to sign with Alabama in 2000.

Lang told jurors he received money from two other colleges, Georgia and Kentucky, and offers of cash, jobs or other incentives from Arkansas, Memphis, Mississippi, Michigan State and Tennessee.

Former coaches Rip Scherer of Memphis and Jim Donnan of Georgia, and former Alabama assistant Ivy Williams testified for the defense that Lang was lying.

Lang has pleaded guilty to conspiracy in Means' recruitment and is cooperating with prosecutors as he awaits sentencing.

Defense lawyer James Neal told the jury that Lang lied to the NCAA, Memphis school officials and others before testifying against Young.

Godwin introduced telephone records showing numerous calls between phones belonging to Lang and Young.

He also put on testimony about a series of cash withdrawals from Young's bank accounts, some only a day apart and totaling more than $270,000. Bank records also showed cash deposits by Lang of more than $47,000.

Means, who has not been accused of wrongdoing, also testified for the prosecution. He admitted that someone else took his college entrance exam for him, an idea that Lang said came from Williams, and that he let his high school coach pick his college for him.

Means spent a year at Alabama before transferring to Memphis when reports of payoffs to Lang became public.

Alabama's recruitment of Means became part of an NCAA investigation that led to sanctions in 2002, depriving the Crimson Tide of scholarships and bowl eligibility.

[Steve19]

Well, it appears to be group therapy time again guys. I mean, come on, if we can't admit to our problems, then we won't ever get better. Clearly some folks just can't embrace the realities of the situation. Don't you guys know that this all was sprung by those Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalists at ESPiN?

We have just got to get beyond denial or we will never be able to grieve for our loss. Would ESPiN lie?

OK, let's all say it together. There's one common source for all of the problems in college sports.

Iowa is not getting a free pass. When all this crap goes on in their football program and a basketball player makes a habit out of abusing women, it's not their fault.

When you see all the problems in the SEC, the last minute recruiting successes and hear rumors of family members driving new cars. Not their fault.

Hear of people bad mouthing other universities to sway impressionable high school kids. Not their fault.

People flashin' their private parts north of our borders. Not their fault.

People robbin' convenience stores, fellow students' rooms and all manner of indiscretions. NOT THEIR FAULT.

If it's their fault, then ESPiN has to have reporters all over the place and there just isn't any economy of scale in that at all.

So let's all get onsides and join the weird and wacky world of ESPiN. There's not much reality there, but what the hell, reality isn't all its cracked up to be anyway.

There is one cause for all of this trouble in college sports. It's Geiger and Tressel and the evil and

CORRUPTION AT OHIO STATE

[jimotis4heisman]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

Walker convicted on drug charges

Posted: Thursday February 3, 2005 11:20PM; Updated: Friday February 4, 2005 1:31AM

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) -- Former Mississippi State running back Dontae Walker was convicted Thursday of possession of cocaine and felony possession of marijuana.

Walker, ninth in school history with 1,875 yards rushing, has been playing for the Birmingham Steeldogs of the Arena Football League.

<!--startclickprintexclude-->Walker faces up to 30 years in prison on the cocaine conviction and up to three years for possessing more than an ounce of marijuana.

Walker and Shaundraaus Frazier, 25, were charged in August 2003 with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute.

Sheriff's deputies and Starkville police said they recovered crack cocaine, marijuana and various drug packaging paraphernalia from the car in which the two were traveling. Authorities said the car was stopped because the car's window tint was darker than what is allowed by state law.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=1983773

Associated Press
STILLWATER, Okla. -- Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy dismissed freshman receiver Prentiss Elliot from the football team on Thursday for violating team policies.


In a statement, Gundy didn't comment specifically about the nature of the violations.


Elliot played in 11 games as a true freshman in 2004 and was the Cowboys' third-leading receiver. He had 17 receptions for 295 yards, 16 punt returns for 177 yards and eight kickoff returns for 224 yards.


When he signed with the Cowboys last February, he was facing a felony charge of assault and battery of a Tulsa police officer for his part in a melee during a high school basketball game in December 2003. That charge was later reduced to a misdemeanor.


He also was charged in May 2003 with first-degree burglary and feloniously pointing a weapon at a former girlfriend. Those charges were dismissed when a witness declined to testify.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

'Very, very, stupid'
UNC's Hunter suspended over drug, traffic charges
Posted: Wednesday February 2, 2005 11:50PM; Updated: Wednesday February 2, 2005 11:50PM

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) -- North Carolina freshman defensive lineman Terry Hunter "may have played his last game" after being charged Tuesday with driving with a revoked license and misdemeanor marijuana possession, head coach John Bunting said.

Bunting said he suspended Hunter "immediately and indefinitely."

"Terry Hunter has done something very, very stupid," Bunting said.

University of North Carolina police Capt. Archie Daniel told The News & Observer of Raleigh that Hunter was driving alone about noon Tuesday when he was stopped because of an equipment malfunction with a brake light. He was charged with driving with a revoked license, according to the UNC police report, as well as possessing 5.5 grams of marijuana. He was cited and released.

Daniel said Hunter was driving a vehicle that belonged to teammate Isaiah Thomas, a defensive lineman who was one of three other football players suspended indefinitely last fall after being charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession.

Bunting said he was still gathering all the facts about the case. Thomas and wide receiver Adarius Bowman, whose charges were dropped, remained suspended indefinitely, Bunting said.

The third player suspended last fall, linebacker Fred Sparkman, is not in school and has said he plans to transfer.

Thomas declined to comment Wednesday, and Hunter could not be reached, the newspaper said.

Hunter had nine tackles for UNC last season after being held out of spring practice for what the school termed a "private matter."

Bunting said the suspension of Hunter was disappointing because "we have reached out and worked so hard to help him."

http://www.collegesports.com/sports/...020405aan.html

Former Virginia Tech football player charged with stalking



Staff Reports The Collegiate Times
Blacksburg, VA (U-WIRE) -- Virginia Tech football player Maurice Reevey was arrested on the charge of stalking by the Virginia Tech Police Department on Dec. 8, 2004.

The 6-foot-4-inch freshman will appear in court on Feb. 17. Lieutenant Wendell Flinchum of the Tech police department was able to confirm the arrest.

The victim's name is being held due to the nature of the crime, and details surrounding the incident were not available by press time. The football coaching staff could not be reached for comment, but some of Reevey's teammates said the staff has been tightlipped concerning the situation.

"I know something happened with an R.A., but I don't know any details," said freshman quarterback Sean Glennon, a member of the recruiting class that included Reevey. "The coaches have not talked about it; I didn't even know he was arrested."

Reevey was a highly-touted high school prospect when he decided to join the team after spending a year at Fork Union Military Academy in Fork Union, VA. He was projected to play a number of positions including linebacker, defensive end and tight end.

Before attending Fork Union, Reevey attended Highland Springs near Richmond. Other members of Tech's football team from Highland Springs include Nolan Burchette and Jim Davis.

Reevey has not rejoined the team for spring football as of yet and his academic standing with the university has not been confirmed.

[jimotis4heisman]

Ray Griiffin

Ex-OSU football player to be retried over July fight
Saturday, February 05, 2005
DISPATCH STATE SERVICE
NEWARK, Ohio — Former Ohio State University and Cincinnati Bengals football player Raymond Griffin will have another day in court. A judge vacated his conviction on a misdemeanor domestic-violence charge.

Judge David Branstool of Licking County Municipal Court will retry Griffin, 48, on March 23.

Branstool convicted Griffin on Nov. 30 after a one-day trial in which Linda Folmar testified that Griffin hit and bit her during an argument on July 14.

Griffin, who faced a maximum six months in jail and $1,000 fine, hired a new attorney, who asked last month for a new trial.

Alexander Spater stated in his motion that Griffin’s trial lawyer handled the case poorly, including not crossexamining Griffin’s daughter.

Fifteen-year-old Erika-Rae Griffin had testified that she saw her father throw punches at Folmer, his ex-fiancee, in a bedroom at Griffin’s Heath home.

Griffin, who no longer lives in Heath, testified that he never hit Folmar. The two had argued about a $500 check that Griffin gave her to help her pay to move out of the home after he called off their engagement, he said.

In his ruling, issued on Jan. 26, Branstool agreed that Griffin’s trial lawyer did not handle the case properly.

"The court finds that this deficient performance deprived the defendant of a fair trial," Branstool wrote.

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pb.../1023/SPORTS13

ISU Football

More charges for ISU's Gair

By LUKE JENNETT
REGISTER CORRESPONDENT
February 4, 2005
Two more charges have been filed against Iowa State football player Jerry Gair, according to court records released today.

Gair, a sophomore defensive back, and freshman teammate Tyease Thompson were arrested on attempted burglary charges last week following an incident at a campus dormitory room.

Today, records show police also have charged Gair with second-degree theft and third-degree burglary related to a laptop computer.

Gair told police he and Thompson were looking for money when they were found in a Larch Hall room on Jan. 24, according to records. Police were investigating the players in connection with other reports of missing items in the dorm that day.

Thompson and Gair were suspended from the football team following their arrests. Each played in 11 of 12 Cyclone games last season. Thompson returned the most kickoffs for the Cyclones -14 for a 23.8-yard average -and rushed 21 times for 77 yards.

Gair recorded one tackle and one fumble recovery. Thompson also was suspended for the Independence Bowl game for an undisclosed violation of team rules.

Read a complete story in tomorrow's Register.