Tag: Arrested

Possible Cowboys draft target DT T’Vondre Sweat arrested on DWI charge

From @ToddBrock24f7: The DT out of Texas was arrested over the weekend and released on a $3,000 bond. He was expected to be drafted in the first two rounds.

One of the college prospects thought by many to be a top target for the Cowboys has landed in serious legal trouble just 18 days before the NFL draft.

Texas defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat was arrested by police in Austin over the weekend and charged with driving while intoxicated, according to KXAN News.

The 22-year-old was booked into jail Sunday but posted a $3,000 bond and was released shortly afterward.

Texas law classifies DWI as a Class B misdemeanor. It carries a jail term of up to 180 days, a fine of up to $2,000, or both.

It could also see Sweat’s draft stock drop, possibly into the third day of picks.

The Huntsville, Tex. native is the brother of Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat and was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year as well as the 2023 Outland Trophy winner as the nation’s top interior defensive lineman.

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The Cowboys conducted a formal interview with Sweat at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis in late February.

Defensive tackle is a massive need in Dallas this year, as the team lost defensive tackles Johnathan Hankins and Neville Gallimore in free agency. Last year’s first-round draft pick, Michigan DT Mazi Smith, was underwhelming in his rookie season.

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Misdemeanor charges against Michael Thomas were dismissed, says attorney

Misdemeanor charges stemming from a Nov. 2023 arrest against Michael Thomas were dropped on Wednesday, his attorney told ESPN:

Michael Thomas can move on. His attorney Daniel Becnel told ESPN’s Katherine Terrell on Wednesday that misdemeanor charges stemming from a Nov. 2023 arrest had been dropped due to insufficient evidence, meaning the former New Orleans Saints wide receiver can focus on the next step for his NFL career.

Thomas was charged on counts of simple battery and criminal mischief,  having been accused of shoving a contractor and throwing a brick at his windshield over a parking dispute outside his home in Kenner, La. But Becnel says there was no proof of an altercation.

“There was no assault, there was no brick thrown,” Becnel told Terrell. “This was a dispute between a contractor and his employees, who were blocking his driveway and who were parking and walking on his grass. It came to a head one day, but there was no criminality involved. That’s obvious by the lack of any type of civil suit, the lack of any type of property damage, the lack of any medical issues and the lack of any physical evidence that criminal action took place.”

Thomas was released from custody the same night he was arrested by the Kenner Police Department, but he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Saints’ road game with the Minnesota Vikings just two days later.

Now a free agent, Thomas is eager to move on with his career and find a fresh start in a new city on a new team. It’ll be interesting to see where the 2019 Offensive Player of the Year ends up, and whether he’ll be suiting up against his former teammates in 2024.

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Chiefs WR Justyn Ross placed on NFL commissioner’s exempt list following Monday’s arrest

Chiefs WR Justyn Ross was placed on the NFL commissioner’s exempt list following Monday’s arrest

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Justyn Ross has been placed on the NFL commissioner’s exempt list, making him unavailable to play or practice. The ruling was handed down from the league office shortly before the final team practice before the Chiefs travel to Denver in Week 8.

“NFL placed Chiefs’ WR Justyn Ross on the Commissioner Exempt List today following his arrest Monday for misdemeanor domestic battery and misdemeanor property damage.” posted Schefter. “He pleaded not guilty to both charges.”

While on the commissioner’s exempt list, Ross continues to be paid as an active roster member but doesn’t count against the Chiefs’ 53-man limit. He is barred from practice and attending games but can be present at the facility for meetings, to work out and to receive treatment.

Only Commissioner Roger Goodell can place a player on the exempt list; teams don’t have authority. According to NFL.com, “The Commissioner also has the authority to determine in advance whether a player’s time on the Exempt List will be finite or will continue until the Commissioner deems the exemption should be lifted, and the player returned to the Active List.” 

Chiefs HC Andy Reid says WR Justyn Ross will practice following Monday’s arrest

Chiefs HC Andy Reid says WR Justyn Ross will practice following Monday’s arrest

The Kansas City Chiefs are approaching their Week 8 matchup with the Denver Broncos with their usual preparation. A quick turnaround after hosting their AFC West rival in Week 6 would be a lead story on most weeks, but following an off-the-field issue, the attention is turned that way.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid addressed the media on Wednesday regarding Monday’s arrest of wide receiver Justyn Ross.

“Addressing that upfront. We’re taking in all the information. [We] have been will continue to do that,” Reid explained. “He’s back here, he’ll work today. And we’ll just take it from there. Other than that, I really don’t have any information for you other than what we’ve gathered.”

Ross was booked into the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office on Monday afternoon. During the time of his arrest, he was facing a felony charge of criminal damage. According to a report from The Kansas City Star, Ross would plead not guilty to Tuesday’s domestic violence charges.

“All the situations are different; the law enforcement part of it, you listen to the real details and what went on.” said Reid, “Then you keep open communication with Brett (Veach) and myself and people who deal with law enforcement. Then you make the final decision.”

Ross was starting to get more playing time this season after battling injuries since his standout college years at Clemson. He now could face another issue as the team continues its investigation.

Chris Olave arrested for reckless driving, but a suspension isn’t likely

Chris Olave was arrested for reckless driving on Monday night, but a suspension is unlikely for the Saints wide receiver:

We’ll start with the bad news. New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave was arrested Monday night in Kenner and charged with reckless operation of a motor vehicle; a police statement said that Olave was clocked at driving 70 miles per hour on Joe Yenni Boulevard, a zone carrying a 35 mile per hour speed limit, also “traveling at the high rate of speed, recklessly maneuvering between lanes and other drivers.” He was arrested at 9:10 p.m. CT.

Olave was booked and later released from Kenner City Jail at 11:30 p.m. CT. In Louisiana, a first offense for reckless operation of a motor vehicle can result in a penalty of no more than $200 and a prison sentence of up to 90 days. A second offense results in a fine of up to $500 and a 10-day prison sentence (at minimum). We’ll have to wait and see how this develops for Olave.

But don’t expect much discipline from the NFL head office. Traffic violations like this one rarely result in suspensions by the league — it’s just one example, but earlier this year Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison was cited for driving 140 miles per hour in a 55 mile per hour zone, but he was not fined or suspended by the league office. The Saints may issue disciple internally, but this shouldn’t dramatically impact Olave’s availability moving forward.

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Chiefs superfan ‘ChiefsAholic’ arrested, charged by FBI with bank theft

The infamous #Chiefs superfan “ChiefsAholic” is no longer on the run after a joint federal investigation led to his arrest in California.

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Infamous Kansas City Chiefs superfan “ChiefsAholic,” who made bail and went on the run after being arrested in an alleged bank robbery in Bixby, Oklahoma, is back behind bars.

The FBI announced on Monday, that 28-year-old Xavier Michael Babudar, aka “ChiefsAholic” was arrested on Friday in California. He was charged in federal court with bank theft and transporting stolen property across state lines. This comes after a joint investigation involving six different FBI branches.

Babudar was well-known by Chiefs fans because of the extravagant wolf costume he wore to games and displayed often on social media.

Here is some more information on the investigation via the FBI’s Twitter thread:

Babudar enjoyed a robust social media presence as a Kansas City Chiefs superfan. He was charged in Tulsa County, OK with the robbery of the Tulsa Teachers Federal Credit Union on Dec. 16, 2022.

FBI investigators began reviewing financial records to determine the breadth and scope of additional potential criminal activities.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Babudar purchased and redeemed more than $1 million in chips from various casinos in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois between April and December 2022.

Babudar traveled throughout the Midwest to perpetrate a string of robberies at various banks and credit unions, and he allegedly laundered the robbery proceeds through area casinos and bank accounts, according to the affidavit.

Babudar will have his initial court appearance on Friday, July 7 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento, California. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick D. Daly and Stephanie C. Bradshaw.

You can read a full release on the investigation and charges on the Justice Department’s website.

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District attorney drops gun charge against Saints’ Marcus Maye from Sept. 22 arrest

The Jefferson Parish district attorney’s office won’t pursue a gun charge against Saints safety Marcus Maye following his Sept. 2022 arrest, citing insufficient evidence:

The Jefferson Parish district attorney’s office dropped a gun charge against New Orleans Saints safety Marcus Maye following his September 2022 arrest, according to WDSU’s Travers Mackel. District attorney Paul D. Connick Jr.’s office cited insufficient evidence to support the charge of aggravated assault with a firearm that allegedly occurred last summer in a road rage incident.

Maye signed a three-year contract with the Saints last March, which he recently restructured to ensure he’ll be on the team for at least another year (and he’ll likely see the deal through to the end). Though this case has been dismissed, Maye could still be suspended in the fall depending on how a Florida DUI charge dating back to February 2021 is resolved. ESPN’s Katherine Terrell reports that Maye’s next court date in that case is March 29.

Injuries limited Maye to just 10 of 17 games last season, and availability is going to continue to be a question for him.

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Video from Las Vegas brawl allegedly involving Alvin Kamara, 3 others

Video emerged from a Las Vegas brawl allegedly involving Alvin Kamara and three others in an ongoing battery case

Surveillance video has emerged from a Las Vegas brawl allegedly involving Alvin Kamara in an ongoing battery case, per 8 News’ David Chairns. Kamara’s next court date is scheduled for March 2 after he and three others were indicted last week by a grand jury. Kamara is also facing a civil suit  from the victim seeking $10 million in damages in New Orleans.

This isn’t a new video, but it is much cleaner and easier to follow than the grainy copy shared online in the past.

Kamara will likely be suspended six games as a violation of the NFL personal conduct policy regardless of whether he is found guilty or not; that’s the precedent the league has set in the past. But no discipline will be handed down until after the legal process has concluded. Either way, the Saints should be preparing for an extended absence in the fall.

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Report: Stetson Bennett arrested for public intoxication in Dallas

Per reports, Stetson Bennett was arrested Sunday morning in Dallas, Texas for public intoxication

Former Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett was reportedly arrested in Dallas, Texas on Sunday morning on a public intoxication charge, according to WFAA News.

The arrest took place at 6 a.m. in Old East Dallas after the police were notified of a man banging on doors. WFAA confirmed the arrest with the police, but there is no confirmation as to whether or not Bennett was the one reportedly banging on the doors.

Upon the officers’ arrival, they found Bennett “and determined he was intoxicated.”

Per DawgNation, Bennett had been training in Texas leading up to the events of Sunday morning.

Via WFAA:

The release did not say if Bennett was the man reportedly banging on doors, and it did not say where, specifically, they located him.

Bennett, 25, was arrested and taken to a city detention center. It was unclear when he was being released Sunday.

Bennett is nearly three weeks removed from winning his second consecutive College Football Playoff National Championship Game. His Georgia Bulldogs took down the TCU Horned Frogs 65-7 and Bennett, a former walk-on, was named MVP of both the semifinal game and the national title.

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Titans OC Todd Downing arrested for DUI, speeding following win over Packers

Titans offensive coordinator Todd Downing was arrested for DUI and speeding on Friday morning following the team’s win over the Packers.

Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Todd Downing was arrested for driving under the influence and speeding at around 2:30 a.m. on early Friday morning near Nashville following the team’s 27-17 win over the Green Bay Packers, according to Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com and confirmed by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Downing was booked around 4:30 and released on bond as of 6:46 a.m. on Friday. Here are more details, per Daniel Smithson of WSMV.com:

Downing was pulled over at about 2:30 a.m. on Cool Spring Boulevard after being followed by a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper who spotted him speeding. It was estimated he was going between 95 and 100 miles per hour, but he was officially paced at 50 miles per hour in a 40 mile per hour zone while being followed.

The trooper said during the traffic stop, he immediately smelled alcohol coming from Downing, who had red eyes and slow, slurred speech, according to an affidavit. Downing admitted to the trooper he had beer before driving, THP said.

The trooper reported Downing said he was trying to get home to his family because he had “been receiving death threats.” The trooper said he observed Downing swaying as he got out of his vehicle.

Downing consented to a field sobriety test, THP said. He did not pass and was taken into custody.

On Friday morning, the Titans released a brief statement acknowledging they are aware of the situation but are still gathering more details.

The league is looking into the matter, which is standard procedure for a situation like this.

Downing is in his second season as the offensive coordinator for Mike Vrabel in Tennessee.

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