GAINESVILLE, Fla. _ The credit card scandal that led to the suspensions of nine Florida Gators in August and 62 felony complaints last month is nearing an end for most of the players involved.
Star receiver Antonio Callaway and six others have agreed to enter a pretrial intervention program that would lead to the dismissal of third-degree felony credit card fraud charges for each.
Alachua County State Attorney Bill Cervone filed paperwork with the court on Thursday, but said each defendant and his case will be presented to the court over the next few weeks for formal approval by a judge.
The program essentially is a voluntary probation during a 12-month period. Charges will be dropped for those who comply with the guidelines, which include community service, court costs and restitution.
Prior non-violent misdemeanor charges do not disqualify a person from entering the program. Callaway and running back Jordan Scarlett, for example, each have been cited for marijuana possession but are eligible.
Thursday's news is unlikely to impact the players' status with the team. Each will have to face UF's Student Code of Conduct Committee, UF coach Jim McElwain said Thursday.
Callaway, Scarlett and seven other Gators _ defensive lineman Keivonnis Davis, defensive lineman Richerd Desir-Jones, linebacker James Houston, linebacker Ventrell Miller, receiver Rick Wells, defensive end Jordan Smith and offensive tackle Kadeem Telfort _ were accused of transferring money from stolen credit cards into their UF bookstore accounts to purchase items.
Each of the seven offered pretrial intervention made a single charge with a stolen credit card number, according to UF Police. Values ranged from $550 to nearly $2,000.
Callaway, for example, added $1,970 to his account on July 16. The next day, he purchased a 13-inch MacBook Pro and gloss black Beats headphones, per a UFPD incident report.
Meanwhile, Smith and Telfort used the stolen cards extensively. Charges against the two still are pending, Cervone said.
