Details emerge
about nine suspended UF players facing felony complaints, including star receiver Antonio Callaway, who is accused of transferring money from stolen credit cards into his college bookstore account.
GAINESVILLE — UF coach Jim McElwain said Monday he already had moved on as more details emerged Monday about nine suspended players now facing felony complaints and unlikely to see the football field anytime soon.
Star receiver Antonio Callaway and 2016 leading rusher Jordan Scarlett are among nine players facing 62 felony complaints filed in Alachua County court Monday. Callaway, Scarlett and seven other Gators are accused of transferring money from stolen credit cards into their UF bookstore accounts to purchase items.
Callaway, who was expected to be a key playmaker for the Gators this season, was accused of adding $1,970 to his account on July 16. The next day, he purchased a 13-inch MacBook Pro and gloss black Beats headphones, according to a UF police incident report.
Callaway, Scarlett, receiver Rick Wells, offensive lineman Kadeem Telfort, linebackers James Houston and Ventrell Miller, and defensive linemen Jordan Smith, Richerd DesirJones and Keivonnis Davis face
third-degree felony allegations of fraudulent use of a credit card and identity fraud.
Sworn complaints filed by university police became public while McElwain was meeting with reporters Monday. The coach said he was unaware of the felony complaints, but when asked if it would affect the status of the nine players, he said, “You’re darn right.”
The Alachua County state attorney’s office now will investigate the matter and decide whether to move forward with formal charges. The maximum possible sentence is five years in prison and $5,000 fine per charge, but first-time offenders normally would not receive such a harsh penalty, State Attorney Bill Cervone told the Orlando Sentinel.
None of the players are expected to be arrested and up to seven could qualify for a diversion program that would eventually lead to the removal of any charges from their records.
The UF police incident reports outlined an investigation that found players used credit-card information from at 15 people from seven different states, including Florida, Michigan, Oklahoma and California.
The UF incident reports included the following details:
All but two players, including Callaway, used just one stolen card. Telfort and Smith used multiple cards, racking up more than $5,000 in charges in Smith’s case.
Smith used three separate cards to put $3,570 into his bookstore account; he used a fourth card to pay off $1,450 to UF Parking and Transportation. During a three-day period in late July, Smith was denied several transfers, ranging from $1,000 to $2,500. The 18-year-old Georgia native faces up to five felony complaints.
Telfort added a total of $1,450 to his UF Bookstore account during three occasions. He purchased three iPads, among other items. He also made a dozen orders from a local food-delivery service. One purchase was for Chester’s Hot Fries, Funyuns, Gatorade, Sour Patch Kids and a bag of Gummi Worms.
The 18-year-old from Miami faces 30 felony complaints.
In Scarlett’s case, he transferred money into the account of his girlfriend, telling her it came from a sports agent in New York.
David Looney, UF bookstore associate director, flagged several student accounts adding an excess of $1,500. Looney told authorities students add on an average $300 per semester.
Looney told UF police when Michael Chambers, an electronic technician at the bookstore, recognized the names of the athletes, and the University Athletic Association was notified. Looney said at the time he was not aware that the credit cards were stolen and the students were committing fraud.
The investigation has generated national attention, but Cervone said credit-card fraud is common and widespread.
“It’s an enormous problem,” he said. “It happens everywhere every day.”
In this case, it has been a black eye and obstacle for McElwain’s program since he suspended the players in August.
“It’s a distraction,” center T.J. McCoy said. “But coach Mac does a good job keeping us all together and toward our goal. Our goal is to win out this season. Right now, our goal is to beat Vanderbilt.”
McElwain said the No. 21 Gators (2-1, 2-0 SEC) have become closer-knit amid the suspensions and the angst generated by Hurricane Irma two weeks ago. The team has won back-to-back games during the final minute, including 28-27 this past Saturday at Kentucky.
McCoy said he believes the suspended players could eventually rejoin the team.
“I’ve never given up hope with those guys,” he said. “I really believe that it’s going to be good to have those guys back. I really believe they’re going to come back and they’re going to help us to have a great season.”
McElwain would not speculate of the future of the suspended players, particularly Callaway, who is embroiled in his third off-thefield incident that has taken him away from the team.
Callaway previously was found not responsible for a sexual-assault claim during a student code-of-conduct hearing, but he was suspended for the spring semester in 2016 and disclosed marijuana use that summer during his Title IX hearing.
He was then cited for marijuana possession this past May.
Asked if Callaway would return to the Gators, McElwain demurred.
“You know you’re asking me something I don’t even know anything about; I don’t know if that’s fair,” he said. “I mean, I’m not sure you’d be sitting here with a felony.”
McElwain also continued to say he will support all players who have ever been affiliated with his program.
“Know this: I really care about those guys. We’re going to do right by them,” he said. “Obviously, we sit down as a staff; we sit down as an administration. Obviously, the university first and what that is. Yet at the end of the day, I’ll do everything I can to help these guys.”