Starting in 2009, the Orlando Sentinel compiled a list of Florida football players arrested or charged with a crime since coach Urban Meyer took over six years ago. The original list was published in June 2009 and has been updated with any cases since then. The vast majority of these players were represented by Huntley Johnson, a Gainesville lawyer who frequently defends UF athletes.
CHRIS RAINEY
Charge: Rainey was arrested on a charge of aggravated stalking, a felony, on Sept. 14.
Outcome: Pending an investigation by the state attorney’s office.
Team punishment: On Tuesday, coach Urban Meyer said, “He’s not with the team. … It’s just further evaluation as we go. The immediacy is he’s not with the team.”
SOLOMON PATTON
Charge: In August, the freshman was charged with misdemeanor possession of alcohol by a person under 21.
Outcome: Patton got a deferred prosecution, meaning he has four months from the day he signed it (Aug. 19) to pay $150 or do 10 hours of community service.
Team punishment: Florida spokesperson Steve McClain said it was handled internally. Patton has not appeared in a game this year.
MATT ELAM
Charge: In July, the freshman was charged with misdemeanor possession of alcohol by a person under 21.
Outcome: Elam entered a plea of nolo contendre and sent in a check for a total $276. He has received notice that the court cannot accept a personal check and has until Oct. 27 to pay by money order.
Team punishment: McClain said it was handled internally. Elam has played in both of the Gators’ games this season.
FRANKIE HAMMOND JR.
Charge: Hammond was charged with DUI in June after allegedly speeding, swerving and driving with open bottles of Crown Royal whiskey in his car, according to a police report. He failed a field sobriety test, the report said.
Outcome: Hammond’s case was resolved Tuesday, with probation reinstated for 12 months.
Team punishment: Hammond was suspended from all activities in June and his scholarship was revoked. He is paying his tuition at least until the spring and has not appeared in a game yet this season.
GARY BROWN
Charge: Charged with misdemeanor battery in Feb. 2010 after allegedly slapping a woman and scratching another at a Gainesville apartment party
Outcome: Brown’s case is in deferred prosecution and not closed.
Team punishment: Dismissed from the team.
CARLOS DUNLAP
Charge: After police found Dunlap asleep behind the wheel at a traffic light on Dec. 1, he was charged with faces a second-degree misdemeanor charge of DUI.
Outcome: Dunlap accepted six months’ probation and 50 hours of community service as punishment for a guilty DUI plea
Team punishment: Dunlap was suspended for the SEC championship against Alabama but returned for the Sugar Bowl.
JANORIS JENKINS
Charge: Misdemeanor affray and resisting arrest without violence for his role in a May 30, 2009 fight outside a downtown Gainesville night club.
Outcome: The charges were dropped after Jenkins met the conditions of his deferred prosecution, according to lawyer Huntley Johnson.
Team punishment: Handled internally and did not miss any games, according sports information director Steve McClain.
MARQUIS HANNAH
Charge: Felony burglary of an occupied dwelling unarmed and misdemeanor battery in late April 2009 for allegedly forcing his way into a Gainesville apartment and punching a man in the face.
Outcome: Case was dismissed due to lack of evidence, according to lawyer Huntley Johnson.
Team punishment: Hannah, a walk-on, was dismissed from the team.
CARL JOHNSON
Charge: Misdemeanor violation of a sexual restraining order in February 2009 after getting on the same campus bus as an ex-girlfriend. The woman previously filed a petition claiming Johnson date-raped her on three occasions.
Outcome: All charges were dropped due to a lack of evidence.
Team punishment: Johnson never missed any time. Coach Urban Meyer said Johnson would remain on the team as long as the investigation checked out.
RILEY COOPER
Charge: Misdemeanor resisting an officer and failure comply with a police or fire department in February 2009. Campus police cited Cooper for not getting out of the way of a moving car upon police’s orders, according to Johnson.
Outcome: The case was dismissed.
Team punishment: Cooper played baseball during the spring of 2009, and it’s unknown whether Meyer sought out punishment.
CAM NEWTON
Charge: Felony counts of burglary, larceny and obstruction of justice in November after allegedly stealing a laptop from a UF student and throwing it out his dormitory window upon police suspicion.
Outcome: Newton received pre-trial deferment – common for a first-time offender – and served community service and probation time.
Team punishment: Meyer suspended Newton for the rest of the 2008 season. Newton transferred to Blinn (Texas) Junior College and now is the starting quarterback at Auburn.
JACQUES RICKERSON
Charge #1: Misdemeanor possession of marijuana in February 2007.
Outcome: Charges were dropped without legal ramifications.
Charge #2: Felony domestic violence by strangulation and felony obstruction of justice after a November 2008 altercation with a girlfriend.
Outcome: Charges were reduced to misdemeanor status, then the Alachua County courts gave him two years probation without proceeding with the charges.
Team punishments: Rickerson was suspended for the 2007 season opener for the marijuana charge, then kicked off the team the morning of the domestic violence incident.
TORREY DAVIS
Charge: Misdemeanor knowingly driving with a suspended license on numerous occasions, including once in July 2008 and another in March 2009 – two weeks after he left the team – that placed him in jail.
Outcome: The July case was closed.
Team punishment: Davis was always in Meyer’s doghouse and hardly allowed to practice or play with the team for various academic and disciplinary reasons, so it’s safe to say Meyer suspended Davis for his crimes.
JAMAR HORNSBY
Charge #1: Cited for misdemeanor property damage and criminal mischief in April 2007 for allegedly throwing a man onto the hood of a car during a fight.
Outcome: Hornsby received deferred prosecution and the charge was later dismissed.
Charge #2: Unauthorized use of a credit card to obtain goods and services, a felony, along with misdemeanor larceny of a credit card for allegedly making more than 70 fraudulent charges on the gas credit card of a female UF student who died seven months earlier.
Outcome: Charges were reduced to misdemeanors and Hornsby took a plea deal – probation and community service.
Team punishments: No punishment for first offense, kicked off the team for second offense. Hornsby served a previous five-game suspension, but it wasn’t for the first misdemeanor – it was for selling his complimentary tickets.
JERMAINE CUNNINGHAM
Charge: Misdemeanor battery in December 2007 for an altercation with a clerk at Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwich Shop in Gainesville. Cunningham allegedly threw paper cups at the clerk.
Outcome: Charges were dropped.
Team punishment: Cunningham played in Florida’s next game, the Capital One Bowl, but Meyer said he imposed physical punishment on Cunningham, who also couldn’t accept bowl-game gifts.
TONY JOINER
Charge: Felony theft in October 2007 for breaking into a car impound and retrieving his girlfriend’s car, which had been towed.
Outcome: Charges were dropped.
Team punishment: Joiner never missed game time, but Meyer stripped him of his captaincy.
RONNIE WILSON
Charge #1: Aggravated assault, battery and use of display of a concealed weapon during commission of a felony in April 2007 for shooting a semiautomatic rifle after a dispute with another man.
Outcome: Wilson pleaded no contest to battery and discharging a firearm. The felony charge was reduced to a misdemeanor and later dropped. Wilson was placed on two year’s probation and given 100 hours of community service.
Charge #2: Misdemeanor possession of marijuana in January 2008.
Outcome: The charge was dropped despite serving probation for his original arrest.
Charge #3: One count of battery and one count of assault for an altercation at an apartment complex in October 2008.
Outcome: The charges were dismissed, according to Johnson
Team punishments: Wilson was suspended for the entire 2007 season stemming from the gun charge, including a full-year suspension from University of Florida academics. Wilson rejoined the team in 2008 but was suspended and eventually kicked off after the third charge.
DUSTIN DOE
Charge #1: Misdemeanor affray and resisting arrest for his role in an April 2007 fight.
Outcome: Charges were dropped.
Charge #2: In June 2009 was charged with knowingly driving with a suspended license, a second-degree misdemeanor
Outcome: Doe was sentenced to six months probation, a $311 fine and community service.
Team punishment: No suspension for Doe in relation to the 2007 charge. After his second arrest, Doe was suspended indefinitely. He returned to play in 13 games in 2009, his senior season.
DORIAN MUNROE
Charge: Felony theft in May 2007 when he removed a University Police boot from his car and put it in his trunk.
Outcome: Charges were dropped.
Team punishment: No suspension for Munroe.
JOHN CURTIS
Charge: Misdemeanor violation of probation in May 2007 after failing to serve five hours of community service stemming from an alcohol citation.
Outcome: Curtis complied with the violation, served probation and the case was dismissed.
Team punishment: Curtis was in Meyer’s doghouse, but he was also injured, so it was difficult to tell why he was out.
BRANDON JAMES
Charge: Purchasing marijuana – a felony – along with misdemeanor possession of marijuana in June 2007.
Outcome: The felony charge was dropped due to a minuscule amount (8 grams); James served probation and community service stemming from the misdemeanor charge.
Team punishment: Suspended for one game, the 2007 opener against Western Kentucky.
AVERY ATKINS
Charge: Misdemeanor domestic battery in July 2006 after an altercation in Daytona Beach with the mother of his child. The initial investigation took place in June 2006 with Atkins facing accusations of felony false imprisonment along with the battery charge.
Outcome: Atkins received pre-trial intervention and both cases were eventually dropped.
Team punishment: Meyer immediately suspended Atkins, who then transferred to Bethune-Cookman, found legal trouble there and died in July 2007 from a drug overdose.
LOUIS MURPHY
Charge: Misdemeanor possession of marijuana in May 2006.
Outcome: Charges were dropped, and Murphy had to perform 12.5 hours of community service.
Team punishment: Murphy was suspended for three games during the 2006 season.
JON DEMPS
Charge: Misdemeanor driving with a suspended license in September 2006.
Outcome: Charges were dropped and Demps received six months probation.
Team punishment: Meyer kicked Demps off the team after the 2006 season reportedly for a marijuana-related incident. Demps worked out with the Gators later that summer but never played for UF again.
DAWAYNE GRACE
Charge #1: Misdemeanor charges of battery and theft in July 2005 stemming from a sworn complaint.
Outcome: Charges were dropped because victim did not wish to prosecute.
Charge #2: Misdemeanor violation of a city ordinance and disorderly conduct in October 2005 for his involvement in a fight. Eyewitnesses told police that Grace threw a punch.
Outcome: Grace completed a deferred prosecution program including 7.5 hours of community service.
Team punishment: Meyer suspended Grace indefinitely after the October arrest. Grace later transferred to Georgia Southern.
Compiled by Jeremy Fowler and Rachel George
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