Players charged
Arkansas sophomore guard Anton Beard and former Razorback forward Jacorey Williams were formally charged Tuesday in connection with their July 22 arrest for passing counterfeit bills at Fayetteville businesses. Beard was charged with three counts of forgery in the first degree and Williams was charged with one count. Dustin Thomas, a junior forward who transferred from Colorado after last season, hasn’t been charged yet because his arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 9.
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas sophomore guard Anton Beard and former Razorback forward Jacorey Williams were formally charged Tuesday in connection with their July 22 arrest for passing counterfeit bills at Fayetteville businesses.
Beard was charged with three counts of forgery in the first degree. Williams was charged with one count of forgery in the first degree.
First- degree forgery is a Class B felony punishable by five to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $ 15,000 or both.
Beard and Williams are scheduled to be arraigned today in Washington County Circuit Court.
Dustin Thomas, a junior forward who transferred to Arkansas from Colorado after last season, was arrested along with Beard and Williams, but he hasn’t been charged yet because his arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 9.
Beard and Thomas have been suspended from the team since their arrests, but they are enrolled at Arkansas for the fall semester and are attending classes, Razorbacks Athletic Director Jeff Long said last week.
Williams, who was dismissed from the team Aug. 19 by Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson, has transferred to Middle Tennessee State and is listed on the Blue Raiders’ roster.
In addition to Williams’ arrest in the counterfeit investigation, according to police reports he was involved in two incidents July 5 and July 18 in which he allegedly shoved his then- girlfriend to the ground during an argument at a Fayetteville bar, then punched a bouncer in the face at the same bar. He has not been charged in either incident.
Williams must redshirt at Middle Tennessee State this season in accordance with NCAA transfer rules, then will have one season of eligibility remaining.
“We’ll see what happens with the two remaining young men who have a legal issue, and that’s got to play itself out,” Long said last week when asked about Beard and Thomas. “We’ll respond accordingly once those things are known.”
Beard, from North Little Rock, is the lone returning starter from the Razorbacks’ 27- 9 team last season that made Arkansas’ first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2008. He was named to the SEC All- Freshman team and averaged 5.7 points and 1.9 rebounds.
Beard, Thomas and Williams were arrested after Fayetteville police said they were positively identified on surveillance video passing counterfeit money at Fayetteville businesses July 17 and 18.
Beard, Thomas and Williams went to the Fayetteville Police Department on July 22 for an arranged meeting, according to a news release, and were cooperative. They provided statements about how they received the money and admitted to making the transactions shown on the surveillance video, but denied knowing the money was counterfeit.
According to a police report, Beard exchanged six $ 50 counterfeit bills for three $ 100 bills and passed four counterfeit $ 20 bills while buying tobacco products and other merchandise. Thomas passed two counterfeit $ 20 bills buying tobacco products and merchandise, and Williams passed one $ 20 counterfeit bill buying merchandise.
Police have been investigating counterfeit money being exchanged at Fayetteville business since late May, according to the arrest report.
Information for this article was contributed by Ron Wood from the Northwest Arkansas Democrat- Gazette.