Florida star wide receiver Antonio Callaway and promising running back Jordan Scarlett are among nine Gators facing new felony credit card charges, according to Alachua State Attorney Bill Cervone.
Court records for Callaway, Scarlett and defensive end Jordan Smith were updated midday Monday to reflect the pending charges against them, with Callaway and Scarlett facing two third-degree felony charges and Smith facing five third-degree felony charges.
In addition to Callaway, Scarlett and Smith, Cervone confirmed receiver Rick Wells; offensive lineman Kadeem Telfort; linebackers James Houston and Ventrell Miller; and defensive linemen Richerd Desir-Jones and Keivonnis Davis are all facing third-degree fraud charges that are continuing to be processed in the Alachaua County court system.
All of the players were accused of felony fraudulent impersonation of another person and felony fraudulent attempt to swindle another person, with the number of charges dependent on the number of transactions and credit cards involved.
The charges cap a month-long investigation into misuse of funds and will significantly hinder the players' ability to take the field for the Gators again this season.
UF policy bans students from participating in any school activities if they are facing felony charges.
The players are accused of using multiple credit cards from multiple victims. Callaway transferred $1,970 from a stolen credit card to his UF account and Scarlett transferred $1,940 to his UF account, making one fraudulent transaction apiece, according to Cervone.
The Orlando Sentinel obtained UF police incident reports for Callaway and Scarlett that indicate they both used a credit card belonging to James Sturiale, of Carlsbad, Calif., to transfer funds to their UF accounts. They then ordered MacBook Pro laptops and Beats Solo 3 headphones using the stolen funds.
The UFPD report stated Scarlett was also accused of transferring money from a credit card belonging to Gabriel Robinson, also of Carlsbad, Calif., to another student's account for his future.
The remainder of the incident reports were slated to be released to the public later Monday.
Cervone confirmed Telfort used multiple credit cards to make multiple transactions, including sending money to his UF account, purchasing items and ordering food using stolen cards. As a result, he faces roughly 30 third-degree felony charges.
None of the players are expected to be arrested and up to seven could qualify for a diversion program that would expunge charges from their records. People in diversion programs typically have to pay back any stolen funds, do some form of community service and avoid other criminal issues in order to eventually have charges removed from their records.
Cervone said he does not know how the players obtained the stolen credit cards, but such fraud is common and widespread.
"It's an enormous problem," he said. "It happens everywhere, every day."
When coach Jim McElwain was asked Monday whether the felony charges change the players' roles as suspended members of the team, he responded, "Darn right. I'm not sure you'd be sitting if you had a felony."
McElwain, however, also continued to say he will support all players who have ever been affiliated with his program.
"Well, obviously, know this: I really care about those guys. We're going to do right by them," he said Monday as the felony charges were first publicly posted in the court system. "You're asking me something, which this is the first I've heard about it.
"Obviously, we sit down as a staff, we sit down as an administration. Obviously, the university first and what that is. Yet, at the end of the day I'll do everything I can to help these guys."
Callaway was slated to play the biggest role for the Gators among the suspended players, but this is his third off-the-field incident that has taken him away from the team.
He was previously found not responsible for sexual assault claim during a student code of conduct hearing, but he disclosed marijuana use during his defense.
Callaway was later cited for marijuana possession in a separate incident.
When McElwain was asked if this the last straw for Callaway, the coach responded Monday, "You're asking me something I don't even know anything about. I don't know that that's fair."
McElwain said the Gators, who are 2-1 and pulled off back-to-back dramatic last-minute wins, have not been distracted by the loss of the suspended players.
The nine Gators are still students, but they haven't been involved in team meetings or practices.
"Well, they're going to school, right, which they've been doing a good job of using all the accommodations that they're given," McElwain said of the suspended players. " ... I'm not saying they don't see them; they all live together, right? But that's part of the lesson, too.
"... Our team kind of had moved on and then we'll deal with whatever it is when it comes up. I think there's one thing these guys have done a pretty good job of is dealing with some things."
