A football player set to start his college playing career as a wide receiver at the University of North Texas was arrested on theft charges at a Texas Wal-Mart. The man was taken into custody after he and another man were arrested for stealing goods valued between $50 and $500. Under state law, this is a Class B misdemeanor.
A prominent college football recruit who agreed to attend the university in early 2015, he was set to begin working with the team over the summer in preparation for his freshman year. He and his alleged accomplice are accused of trying to scan only a portion of the items they put in their cart while using self-checkout. They then tried to leave the store using the goods they paid for to obscure those they did not pay for.
The total retail value of the goods they are accused of stealing was $497. Employees at the store as well as local law enforcement stopped the men and they were placed under arrest. The head football coach at the school stated that he has been kept abreast of the case and any team-based disciplinary action against the student will be handled privately.
A theft conviction can bring harsh penalties and far reaching consequences. In addition to penalties that could possibly include fines and incarceration, the conviction will remain on the person’s record and may make it difficult to obtain future employment. Those who are in this type of situation may find it advisable to contact an attorney as quickly as possible so that a defense strategy can be prepared.
Source: CBS Sports, ‘Report: North Texas signee charged after Wal-Mart theft,” Jerry Hinnen, June 13, 2015