Six S. Carolina Players Charged With Theft
Thu Jan 20, 6:30 PM ET
By JEFFREY COLLINS, Associated Press Writer
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Six current and former South Carolina football players were charged Thursday with stealing $18,000 worth of equipment from Williams-Brice Stadium last November.
The university said laptop computers, video equipment and framed photographs were stolen from the South Carolina locker room area on Nov. 22, shortly after the Gamecocks were told they would not go to a bowl as punishment for an on-field brawl with Clemson.
"Regrettably, a few of our student-athletes made a very poor decision during the course of a frustrating situation, and they must now face the consequences," athletic director Mike McGee said.
Offensive lineman Woodly Telfort was charged with grand larceny, a felony. He was accused of stealing more than $1,000 in equipment.
Quarterbacks Syvelle Newton and Dondrial Pinkins have been charged with petit larceny, a misdemeanor, along with defensive lineman Freddy Saint-Preux and former safety Rodriques Wilson.
A warrant is pending for a sixth player the school did not identify.
Telephone calls placed to four of the players were not answered; one player was not listed. They were expected to be arraigned in Richland County bond court Thursday evening.
New coach Steve Spurrier said he will support the decisions of campus police and prosecutors as the case moves forward.
"Hopefully we'll never have a situation like this happen again," Spurrier said.
