By Lise Fisher
Sun staff writer
Two University of Florida athletes, one a basketball player and another a football player, were arrested overnight by Gainesville Police on allegations of drug possession, jail records showed.
Brandon Charles Powell and Brandon K. James, both 19, were being held at the Alachua County jail on charges of purchase and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, according to court records.
Powell was a freshman last year with the college’s basketball team, while James was a freshman who played a major role in the 2006 national championship football team as a kickoff and punt returner.
Arrest 6: Former UF Receiver Faces Multiple Charges
By Jonathan Okanes
Cal wide receiver Nyan Boateng was arrested in Gainesville, Fla., last week and was charged with burglary residence, battery and criminal mischief.
According to Gainesville police Sgt. Chuck Reddick, Boateng attempted to enter the home of his former girlfriend early Thursday morning. When she refused to let him in, Boateng kicked in the door and entered anyway.
Boateng, a transfer from the University of Florida, is scheduled to sit out this season because of NCAA transfer rules. He will be a junior in 2008 and have two years of eligibility remaining.
Boateng was a football and basketball star at Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he was basketball teammates with the NBA’s Sebastian Telfair. Boateng played one season at Florida, catching two passes for 44 yards as a freshman.
“We’re aware there was an incident in Florida and we’re gathering all the information we can,” Cal athletic spokesman John Sudsbury said.
Boateng worked out with Cal during the spring and looked like a potential star. With junior wide receiver DeSean Jackson possibly leaving for the NFL after this season, Boateng could be a perfect fit to fill in.
The burglary charge is a felony while the other two are misdemeanors. A court date is pending.
Arrest 7: Gator Player Charged with Burglary
By Karen Voyles
A senior on the University of Florida football team was arrested early Tuesday and charged with burglary according to Gainesville Police.
Earl A. “Tony” Joiner, 21, was arrested at 4:59 a.m. outside the fenced impound lot of Watson’s Towing at 516 SW 1st St.
Senior defensive back Earl A. “Tony” Joiner, 21, was arrested at 4:59 a.m. outside the fenced impound lot of Watson’s Towing at 516 SW 1st St.
Joiner, who is 6 feet tall and weighs 194 pounds, was accused of pushing a heavy electric gate open to enter the lot in an attempt to retrieve his girlfriend’s car which was being held in lieu of a $76 towing bill, according to police reports.
According to Gainesville Police, witnesses said a man pushed open the gate at 4:30 a.m., got into a car, drove the car out of the lot and was trying to close the gate when he was confronted by one of two witnesses. The witness said the man drove the car back into the lot and waited for officers to arrive.
The officer who arrested Joiner, Robert Concannon, noted in the arrest report that Joiner was on a phone talking to someone when Concannon walked up to Joiner. Concannon said he heard Joiner talking into the phone and saying, “I am probably about to go to jail ‘cuz I did push the gate open.”
Arrest 8: Cunningham and Demps Arrested on Burglary Charges
By: Lindsay Jones
Starting defensive end Jermaine Cunningham was arrested early Wednesday morning on a misdemeanor battery charge after reportedly causing a disturbance at an sandwich shop near campus.
According to a Gainesville Police report, Cunningham and former Gator linebacker Jon Demps got into an argument with an employee at Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwich shop, located on University Avenue. When the employee reportedly told Cunningham and Demps they had to pay for a bag of potato chips, Cunningham and Demps became “verbally abusive” and began throwing items, including empty soda cups and a sandwich, at the employee.
Cunningham and Demps left the store, and were arrested on campus at 2:49 a.m.
According to records from the Alachua County Jail, he was booked at 3:56 a.m. and was still at the jail at 10:30 a.m.
Cunningham, a sophomore who has started every game this season, is third on the team with 62 tackles (34 solo). He has 6.5 sacks and 11 tackles for a loss.
Former LSU wide receiver Xavier Carter was also arrested after the incident on a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest, according to a GPD report. Carter, who left LSU to run professionally, recently moved to Gainesville to begin training with UF track coach Mike Holloway.
Carter was reportedly with Cunningham and Demps on University Ave. after the incident at Jimmy John’s, but ran from police when Cunningham and Demps were arrested.
Minimize it if you will, but this is just a partial list...
