bixby28
4/2/2007, 07:59 PM
Saturday, March 31, 2007
A current Gilmer football player and one of the top 2008 college recruits in the nation, as well as a former Gilmer football standout, have confessed to spray painting a car.
Running back-linebacker Justin Johnson and former Buckeye linebacker Arsenial Richardson — as well as Gilmer High School student Dean McKane Griffith — voluntarily surrendered themselves to the Upshur County Sheriff's Office on Thursday for misdemeanor criminal mischief warrants, according to a press release from Billy W. Byrd, Criminal District Attorney for Upshur County.
Johnson, Richardson and Griffith have confessed to spray painting at least car on Feb. 24 in Gilmer. According to the release, they purchased spray paint which was used to paint various signs and marks on the vehicle.
Officers Chad Lanier and Trey Anderson located several spray paint cans and retrieved latent prints. Johnson, Richardson and Griffith were contacted by Upshur County Sheriff's Office investigator Freddie Mitchell and confessed to the crime in an interview.
Johnson has orally committed to play football for the University of Oklahoma. Oral commitments are non-binding and the first date Johnson can sign with a college is Feb. 6.
Johnson was a second-team Class 3A All-State selection by The Associated Press Sports Editors, an honorable-mention selection by the Texas Sports Writers Association and was a first-team selection on the Longview News-Journal's All-East Texas Team in 2006, rushing for 1,015 yards and 11 touchdowns on 86 carries. Johnson was an All-East Texas Newcomer of the Year in 2005, after rushing for 793 yards and eight touchdowns.
Richardson signed with Texas A&M-Commerce in February. He had 111 tackles and three interceptions for Gilmer, which went 10-0 in the regular season. Richardson was an honorable mention all-state selection by APSE and TSWA and second-team All-East Texas.
Texas A&M-Commerce coach Scotty Conley said he first heard about what Richardson did on Friday. Conley said it is too soon to tell whether the incident will have any affect on Richardson's scholarship status.
"I'll know more when I've had a chance to find out what's going on," Conley said.
The release mentions that there has been up-to-date contact with Gilmer athletic director-head football coach Jeff Traylor. The release said Traylor and other members of the Gilmer Independent School District have been very professional and helpful during the investigation.
According to the release additional charges may be filed at a later date for other victims that may have had property destroyed or damaged by the suspects.
The investigation is ongoing and the Upshur County Sheriff's Office anticipates charging the multiple juvenile offenders with crimes associated with these acts.
http://www.news-journal.com/sports/content/sports/stories/03312007___gilmer_players.html
A current Gilmer football player and one of the top 2008 college recruits in the nation, as well as a former Gilmer football standout, have confessed to spray painting a car.
Running back-linebacker Justin Johnson and former Buckeye linebacker Arsenial Richardson — as well as Gilmer High School student Dean McKane Griffith — voluntarily surrendered themselves to the Upshur County Sheriff's Office on Thursday for misdemeanor criminal mischief warrants, according to a press release from Billy W. Byrd, Criminal District Attorney for Upshur County.
Johnson, Richardson and Griffith have confessed to spray painting at least car on Feb. 24 in Gilmer. According to the release, they purchased spray paint which was used to paint various signs and marks on the vehicle.
Officers Chad Lanier and Trey Anderson located several spray paint cans and retrieved latent prints. Johnson, Richardson and Griffith were contacted by Upshur County Sheriff's Office investigator Freddie Mitchell and confessed to the crime in an interview.
Johnson has orally committed to play football for the University of Oklahoma. Oral commitments are non-binding and the first date Johnson can sign with a college is Feb. 6.
Johnson was a second-team Class 3A All-State selection by The Associated Press Sports Editors, an honorable-mention selection by the Texas Sports Writers Association and was a first-team selection on the Longview News-Journal's All-East Texas Team in 2006, rushing for 1,015 yards and 11 touchdowns on 86 carries. Johnson was an All-East Texas Newcomer of the Year in 2005, after rushing for 793 yards and eight touchdowns.
Richardson signed with Texas A&M-Commerce in February. He had 111 tackles and three interceptions for Gilmer, which went 10-0 in the regular season. Richardson was an honorable mention all-state selection by APSE and TSWA and second-team All-East Texas.
Texas A&M-Commerce coach Scotty Conley said he first heard about what Richardson did on Friday. Conley said it is too soon to tell whether the incident will have any affect on Richardson's scholarship status.
"I'll know more when I've had a chance to find out what's going on," Conley said.
The release mentions that there has been up-to-date contact with Gilmer athletic director-head football coach Jeff Traylor. The release said Traylor and other members of the Gilmer Independent School District have been very professional and helpful during the investigation.
According to the release additional charges may be filed at a later date for other victims that may have had property destroyed or damaged by the suspects.
The investigation is ongoing and the Upshur County Sheriff's Office anticipates charging the multiple juvenile offenders with crimes associated with these acts.
http://www.news-journal.com/sports/content/sports/stories/03312007___gilmer_players.html