Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Big Trouble in Little Burg

It seems that the link a couple of posts below doesn't work, so I'll copy and paste the info from the paper, with names and places removed:

"Some members of the xxxxxxxxxx High School football team are accused of armed robbery and distributing prescription pain pills. Information came out Wednesday afternoon concerning star players who are allegedly involved with the drugs, as well as allegations that the coaches knew what was going on but turned a blind eye to any illegal activity.

Investigators from the xxxxxxxxxxxxx Police Department signed search warrants to access records at the high school. An affidavit filed with the clerk of court Wednesday alleges nine current memebrs of the school's football team, one former student, the team's head coach and two assistant coaches were involved in, or had knowledge of, the distribution of prescription pills in the school's locker room before games. Many of the pills are believed to have been Oxycontin.
Investigators say some of the football players may have also been involved in an armed robbery of rival high school students on Halloween 2007. One of the students allegedly involved is the football team's star player. Ten other xxxxxxxxx High School students' names are also listed in the affidavit.

Police executed a search warrnant at the high school Wednesday morning and got all the documents they needed. Although no arrests have been made in this case (note from me: two kids have been arrested for the robbery since then), investigators want to know how many players and coaches knew about this alleged prescription drug distribution, but who also failed to tell police.

The biggest name on the list junior xxxxx xxxxx, a star running back on the football team. Police talked to xxxx more than once during this investigation. According to the affidavit, on January 23, 2008, xxxx admitted to being part of an armed robbery which included other xxxxxxxx School students xxxx xxxx and xxxx xxxx. Xxxx said he only helped plan the robbery.

On March 28, xxxx was questioned again and investigators asked about his knowledge of xxxx dealing prescription pain pills before football games while in the locker room of xxxxxxx High School. In the affadavit, xxxx states he was aware that xxxx had been both selling and giving away pills since the 2006-2007 football season and that xxxx had told him the pills would make it so players would feel no pain during games, even from hits by other players. Xxxx verbally committed to UVA in December.

The Xxxxxxx City School Superintendent says since this matter deals with students and personnel, he cannot comment on the matter at this time.

Along with alleging that some of the coaches knew about the drugs, police also allege some of the assistant coaches may have known about the armed robbery. However, the coaches did not report it to the police.

In the affidavit released Wednesday, HPD Sgt. Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxx Criminal Investigations Gang Unit, says it was "very apparent that there was an overwhelming amount of information and knowledge about the use and distribution of pain pills by football players of the xxxx High School football team." Police Guy also says that not only did the players know about this themselves, but several coaches also had this information and knowledge. In the affidavit, Police Guy talked with head football coach Xxxx Xxxx.

He says, "Xxxx stated he had heard of Xxxx Xxxx selling drugs on one occasion and on another occasion received an anonymous note that his football players were selling drugs." Xxxx also says he approached Drug Guy about it in the spring of 2007, but that Xxxx denied any involvement or knowledge.

In the affidavit, Xxxx goes on to say that "Head Coach stated that even though he had received information about Drug Guy selling drugs and received a follow-up anonymous letter about it, he never reported this information to police." The affidavit also alleges that two assistant coaches, Xxxx Xxxx and Xxxx Xxxx, had knowledge of some of these reports. Police Guy says Xxxx told him he had no knowledge of of the drug dealing, but did know about the armed robbery, which he allegedly never told police about.

Police Guy adds Xxxx coach guy said he had heard about the allegations and had questioned Drug Kid, but he "did not know where to draw the line between what was rumor and what was real." "

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