Troubled Florida defensive end Jordan Smith is facing four additional potential third-degree felony charges, bringing his total to 22.
According to court records, Gainesville Police filed a sworn complaint against Smith on Wednesday, charging him with two fraud complaints and two for larceny grand theft between $300 and $5,000.
The charges come two days after University Police filed a sworn complaint against Smith charging him with 18 third-degree felonies resulting from UPD’s investigation into credit card fraud.
Eight other UF players are facing third-degree felony charges from the UPD investigation.
GPD had a separate investigation on Smith, but no other UF players were involved in that investigation.
GPD alleges that Smith used a stolen credit card to pay $1,007.82 in rent for his Gainesville apartment.
The sworn complaints against all nine players have been forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office, which will investigate and then determine whether formal charges are brought against the players.
That process is expected to take several weeks.
The players have been under indefinite suspension since before the start of the season.
“Obviously, this is a long legal piece still to go,” UF coach Jim McElwain said Wednesday. “Once the legal piece is done, then (there’s) the university piece. So, obviously, disappointed as we were from the get-go. And yet, there’s still a lot to be found out. I think you’ve just got to let it, from a legal standpoint, play out. And then, obviously from there, the university standpoint. Then we’ll deal with it at that time.”
McElwain said he was stunned by the number of charges leveled at some of the players, and some of the amounts stolen. Smith is facing 22 charges, while true freshman offensive tackle Kadeem Telfort’s total is 30. The seven other players — Antonio Callaway, Jordan Scarlett, Keivonnis Davis, Rick Wells, Richerd Desir-Jones, linebacker Ventrell Miller and linebacker James Houston — are all facing two third-degree felony charges.
“I’d say this, in a couple of the guys’ case, when you look at the sheer numbers. … The idea of getting something for nothing, really disappointing.
“If something looks too good to be true, probably is too good to be true. Look, everybody in here, we know right from wrong. There comes a point where you’ve got to tell yourself this is right or this is wrong. Like I said, disappointing, no doubt about it. In some cases, the amount, you know, a couple of the cases. … Wow.”
McElwain said he’s had a chance to talk to the suspended players.
“We’ve been in contact from the standpoint of making sure through all their academic stuff. More than anything is the understanding that they’ve got a lot to take care of and you’ve got to take care of that before you take care of anything else.”
McElwain said he’s already had discussions with athletic director Scott Stricklin and some in the school’s administration.
“The conversations have been, obviously, you’ve got to let the legal process go, the investigation go and find out from there,” he said.
McElwain said the nine players all remain in class.
I feel sorry for these young men. But they made a bad choice, it seems, and now must live with it. While it makes great headlines to say “10 Gators face felony charges,” the truth is only Callaway and sometimes Perine, were impact players. Callaway may have just thrown away millions in NFL money for a lousy credit card. Hope not, but the NFL is really big on character these days.
No Scarlett not Perine. And you lost a backup OT which hurts and a back up DE which hurts. Not to mention to young LBers that would be playing a lot of ball since we’re so thin at the position. Losing that many guys is like being on probation it’s a huge waste and we have to rebuild it on the recruiting trail
It hurts quite a lot. The #1 WR & RB, depth at several positions including LBs where Gators are very thin, one of the highest rated OL recruit in a few years, etc. It hurts for depth at several positions, development for the future, and special teams (see our atrocious punt coverage). It hurts one of the biggest things that Mac’s staff had been doing right — building a quality and balanced roster that can sustain success once the Gators get back where they need to be.
Cattrick would you feel sorry for them if it was your credit card they stole?
I know coaches and players must be sick of hearing this constant barrage of bad news. I feel for them as well as the all of Gator Nation. We are still searching for an identity as team which makes this constant negative aura even more troubling. I know the NINE’s negative influence will one day pass and it can’t happen fast enough for nothing good has come frm this fiasco.
Yeah man, this staff can’t catch a break. Another year, another off the field issue that derails the rebuild.
I wish the media would stop writing about the suspended players until the case is resolved. As far as I am concerned, they do not exist concerning the Florida Gators football team. I have moved on from them. I wish the media would. Focus on Vandy, the rest of the schedule, and the players still playing because they have done all the right things. Go Gators.
The media are, and should, continue to cover the suspended players. It’s news, plain and simple. I realize you don’t like the message and if the media stopped reporting on the nine players maybe the rest of the team may become more unified. Your point is valid, but the media have a job to do.
In the mean time hopefully the team isn’t distracted and is focused on their priorities.
Yup, it sucks but the media’s gotta do what it does. But I think this team is pretty dang unified. If it weren’t it wouldn’t have been able to accomplish the comebacks that it did. It would have been easy to say, ‘Our #1 WR and #1 RB are out and we have nothing but freshmen left on the offense so it’s okay to lose this game.’ Or, “Our secondary was already supposed to be in a big rebuild but now our senior safety is out, 2 LBs are suspended, 1 got ejected from the game, and we have several true freshmen on the field at the same time — it’s okay to lose this game.” Even if this team had started 0-3, yeah people would be very unhappy, but there would be plenty of valid excuses the team could have leaned on. But they didn’t. They fought to the last second every single game. Fighting like that in the face of adversity is only possible if you are united and I think this team is very united.
I think we were content knowing he had 18 charges. How about some positive stories about the good guys.
Kick these thugs off the team and move on. Send a message!
I wonder what Saban would do. I mean, overall – how does he build a program that doesn’t have these issues? What type of character and attitude does a coach need to have to instill maturity and discipline in the guys before they walk in the door? Seem to me that Mac doesn’t portray much of that, even if he is a former Saban OC.
Saban would brush it under the rug before the media got to it and if that failed then let them play anyway.
The old saying that “a fish rots from the head” is applicable. McElwain needs to go as well!
I agree, time to cut bait on all 9. We could fill those 9 scholarships in the next recruiting cycle, maybe award an extra walk-on or two a full-ride as well
No sympathy should be given towards these thugs that have chosen to throw away their scholarships and in some cases possible NFL millions. Come to UF to steal credit cards from people all over the country and run up thousands in illegal debt? That’s great thinking, boys. Bring felony charges and lock them up. Let them go through life was convicted felons, with all the joy that brings as they try to get a $8-hr job in the coming years.
Mac needs to exercise solid leadership for once instead of coming off like a softy with his “I love these guys” shtick. Lack of leadership contributed here – there was no respect by these players for anyone but themselves as they stole credit information for criminal purposes. This was a planned, organized, serious crime by these players. Time for Mac to stop loving and start leading.
as former player and Gator Graduate we as Gator faithful should be careful as how we treat those who fall out of favor for ‘ remember that the coaches come into theses young men neighborhoods most of them urban and riddle with this kind of ill behavior many so surprised by where murder and drugs worst is just a common thing , but these young men have a talent which the university needs and thrive on and the coach says he going to make their son family and try instill and different value then what happening there sometimes there are some bumps in the road with young men and growing pains but you don’t throw them away when it is something other than touchdowns or first downs being made for the school” other recruits are reading and watching how the fans are feeling about when you do well and when you fall do we say how can we get you back on track or do we throw you away lack you are trash. because this is how you continue receive top level players and only few may fall by way side but when they do you must go after those that do with support and guidance not hate and disgust because you are disappointed in their behavior!
Given that incoherent rant, I can’t believe you’re a Gator grad.
As you read some of this comments, it makes you realize what is wrong with our society. I am not being callous, I am saying it just like it is, why should student athletes be treated different than let’s say kids that don’t have the God given gift of being good at sports?. There is no question in my mind that if a non-athlete kids would have been caught doing what this guys did, without question they would be in jail already. IMO no matter how you look at it, this guys committed a very serious crime, embarrassing not only themselves but the University and the sport, knowing that since they are student athletes, if caught they would probably get away with nothing but a slap on their wrist like it has happened so many times in the past. The crime has been committed and proven that this guys did it, I don’t think they are entitled to our pity. They should pay the price commensurate to the crime they committed. My opinion of course.
It’s a tough spot for Coach Mac. I think he cares about his players but you have to draw a line. I do believe he is one of those coaches that see players as family and a responsibility to try and ‘teach’ not just coach. Cutting them loose will certainly be a lesson but then what? Football is probably their only opportunity to have structure and support; but maybe not. They could be just fine. Nonetheless, those players committed a crime and a selfish act that hurts the team and GatorNation. And fraud is not a victim-less crime either. I think Coach Mac is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t. And it is already making his job harder and there is nothing he could have done. He can preach and mentor and teach and coach, but this was not something he could really have prevented. So all you posting about his responsibility, in this case, I think you are misdirected.
They are kids that committed a crime and should be punished as such but do you here some of you people who call yourself part of “Gator Nation” Quote: Throw them away like trash. Listen for those of you that have kids and we’re once kids yourself if we lived in a society that just “Threw kids away like trash” Everytime they made a mistake we as a society would be in a world of hurt. Like I said they should be punished more than just being suspended. Most of these guys just graduated from high school “Really” people. What if it was your child that made a horrible mistake like these young men did and all you heard was throw them away like trash from so called fans. We have adult professional athletes that are getting caught cheating, being charged with DUI’s but hold our young people in such high standards. I tell you what let’s just start snatching all scholarships from not only athletes but from those that make mistake in college and got there scholarships academically.
It appears to me that these crimes were not actually stolen credit cards but rather stolen credit card account numbers and then reproduced on counterfeit credit cards and probably bought by these players either on the internet or from someone connected with real criminals. If the latter, one or two of the players are real bad and infected the others.