Many people assume that celebrities live their lives completely void of pain or hardship. While it’s easy to believe that celebrities are always living glamorously, such is not the case for former Cowboys quarterback Ryan Leaf. The former football player is wanted in Texas for theft crimes and fraud.
Right now, Leaf is being held in an out-of-state jail for charges of burglary and criminal drug possession. However, Texas law enforcement officials say that the football player is a fugitive in Texas facing similar fraud charges. Authorities say that Leaf fraudulently obtained prescription medications in both states.
Leaf’s most recent arrest, for which he is being held outside of Texas, came after a couple noticed discovered that he was in their living room and stole multiple bottles of prescription drugs from their home. Two days before this encounter with the law, police searched Leaf’s home and vehicle and they found illegal prescription drugs.
Back in Texas, Leaf was sentenced to 10 years of probation for breaking into and burglarizing a football player’s home while he was a coach at West Texas A&M. Also, he was accused of fraudulently obtaining multiple prescription medications. He was sentenced to 10 years’ probation and once again faces legal trouble in Texas.
It appears as though this case is not clear cut, which is true for many criminal incidents. Leaf is apparently struggling with chemical dependency issues, which can explain his alleged erratic behavior. Understanding what is going on behind the scenes of a criminal incident provides a much better idea of what may have motivated a person to do the things they are accused of doing.
Leaf’s latest brush with the law has already garnered a lot of media attention. Knowing that he will be spending time in the public eye, it is important that Leaf receives the same treatment in a court of law as everyone else. Just because the details of his purported crimes are detailed in many news reports, it is vital to remember that Leaf is entitled to the same presumption of innocence as everyone else dealing with criminal charges.
Source: USA Today, “Texas issues arrest warrants for Ryan Leaf,” David Murray, April 26, 2012