Updated Iowa arrest story...read this.

[ketelmeister]

The Iowa City Paper is really telling the story..kudos for them.


Sunday, February 24, 2008

Hawkeyes suspended

Marijuana, oxycodone and carisoprodol found in dorm

By Iowa City Press-Citizen
..
• Hawkeyes' legal trouble

Two University of Iowa football players are suspended indefinitely after being arrested on drug charges early Saturday morning, coach Kirk Ferentz said in a statement Sunday.

“I was very disappointed to learn the news of the most recent incident involving two of our players. It’s especially disheartening since we made it such a major point of emphasis with our players since the end of last season. Both players will be suspended, indefinitely, until I have a chance to examine all the facts involved in the case,” Ferentz said in the statement.

Ferentz and other UI athletics personnel, including director Gary Barta, were gone on the annual Hawkeye cruise and couldn’t comment further.

James Lee Cleveland, 19, and Arvell M. Nelson, 19, were arrested early Saturday morning in the room they share at N101 Hillcrest Hall.

Nelson

James Lee Cleveland, 19, was arrested for two counts of unlawful possession of a prescription drug and an Iowa drug tax stamp violation after police allegedly found 21 doses of oxycodone and 24 doses of carisoprodol in his desk. He faces up to seven years in prison.

Cleveland was charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a prescription drug and an Iowa drug tax stamp violation after police allegedly found 21 doses of oxycodone and 24 doses of carisopro-dol in his desk. He faces up to seven years in prison.

Nelson and Cleveland share a room at N101 Hillcrest Hall.

According to University of Iowa Department of Public Safety reports:

Nelson was arrested after marijuana was found on top of his desk. He admitted it was marijuana. He was arrested at 2:41 a.m.

Cleveland was arrested at 3:01 a.m.

Twenty-one doses of oxycodone were found in his desk, and Cleveland admitted the pills were his. He also admitted that the 24 doses of the carisoprodol muscle relaxer pills were his. Unlawful possession of a prescription drug is a serious misdemeanor.

Neither the oxycodone or carisoprodol pills had a label. Police also did not find a prescription for either drug.

Cleveland also was charged with tax stamp violation, a Class D felony, for possessing 10 or more dosage units of a taxable substance that is not sold by weight for the 21 units of oxycodone.

Oxycodone is a painkiller used to treat moderate to severe pain but also has high abuse potential because it can cause addiction and withdrawal symptoms.

Carisoprodol is a muscle relaxer that works by blocking nerve impulses, or pain sensations, from being sent to the brain. It is used to treat injuries and other painful muscular conditions. The medication can be habit forming.

Cleveland, a freshman wide receiver, was one of five Iowa football players named to the 2007 Sporting News freshman all-Big Ten team. He caught 36 passes for 464 yards to rank second on the team this past season.

Both Cleveland and Nelson were booked into the Johnson County jail and released on their own recognizance after an initial appearance before a judge.

Nelson, a red-shirt freshman quarterback from Cleveland, already had been in trouble with law enforcement this school year because he failed to appear at an initial court appearance. He was charged July 2, 2007, with driving with a suspended license and was scheduled to have his initial court appearance Aug. 16, 2007, but didn't show. A warrant was issued that day for failure to appear, but Nelson turned himself in to authorities and posted a $545 cash bond Aug. 21, 2007.

Cleveland also has pleaded guilty to a traffic violation for failure to have a valid license or permit while driving.

No one answered a reporter's calls to Cleveland and Nelson's dorm room.

Twelve University of Iowa football players had legal trouble in 2007, ranging from Dominique Douglas' two rounds of charges -- first for unauthorized use of a credit card and second for fifth-degree theft after allegedly taking three DVD movies from Wal-Mart in Iowa City -- to several players being charged with drunken driving.

Hawkeye football players also are the subject of a sexual assault investigation that began with an Oct. 13, 2007, incident at Hillcrest Hall. Prosecutors have yet to announce whether they plan charges as a result of that investigation.

Because of the legal troubles, Douglas and wide receiver Anthony Bowman were suspended and running back Dana Brown and long snapper Clint Huntrods were dismissed from the team. Douglas since has left UI, and Bowman has been reinstated to the team.

In the wake of Douglas' and Bowman's unauthorized use of a credit card arrests, photos from Douglas' Facebook page surfaced showing Douglas, Bowman and other players holding liquor bottles and large amounts of cash.

Nelson said in August 2007 that he was in one of those photos with a handful of cash, what he described as "a couple hundred dollars ... from Pell (Grant) money when we first got here; it was nothing illegal."

Nelson said "it was a pretty dumb mistake that I made," and Coach Kirk Ferentz spoke to him about it.

"He brought me in his office and we had a one-on-one, a long talk," Nelson said. "It's a learning process and everything's behind us now."

[brianhos]

Bowman is back? Wow, I guess KF is feeling the pressure to win.

[ketelmeister]

Wait..there's more.


A list of Hawkeye football players who have had legal trouble since 2007.

Ryan Bain, DL: The 19-year-old junior-to-be was charged with interference with official acts, public intoxication and disorderly conduct April 15, 2007. Bain transferred to Akron before the 2007 football season because he wanted to improve his chance of starting.

Anthony Bowman, WR: The 19-year-old sophomore was charged with unauthorized use of a credit card, a Class D felony, on Aug. 18, 2007. On Dec. 26, 2007, he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of credit card fraud, an aggravated misdemeanor, and was granted deferred judgment. Bowman was suspended for the 2007 season, but he has rejoined the team and will have three years of eligibility remaining.

Dana Brown, RB: The 20-year-old sophomore was charged with domestic assault on Oct. 16, 2007. He was dismissed from the football team.

Dominique Douglas, WR: The 19-year-old sophomore was charged with unauthorized use of a credit card, a Class D felony, on Aug. 18, 2007. On Dec. 4, 2007, Douglas pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of credit card fraud, an aggravated misdemeanor, and was granted deferred judgment. He also was charged with stealing $30 worth of DVDs from Wal-Mart, which he pleaded guilty to in November 2007. The judge ordered Douglas to serve two years probation as well as pay $221.53 in restitution, a $625 civil penalty and other court costs. He was removed from the team. Douglas returned to his hometown of Detroit and is attending community college.

Ben Evans, WR: The 19-year-old red-shirt freshman was charged with drunken driving on July 30, 2007.

Tyler Gerstandt, TE: The 20-year-old walk-on football player was cited for underage possession of alcohol on May 18, 2007. The simple misdemeanor carried a $200 fine for a second offense. Gerstandt was cited for underage possession of alcohol in January 2006, according to Iowa online court records.

Clint Huntrods, long-snapper: The 22-year-old senior was charged with public urination, interference with official acts and public intoxication Sept. 6, 2007 after a police officer caught him urinating on a sidewalk. He was dismissed from the team. He issued a written guilty plea Oct. 24, 2007.

Bradley Fletcher, CB: The 21-year-old junior was charged with drunken driving on July 15, 2007. He was suspended for one game.

Arvell Nelson, QB: The 19-year-old red-shirt freshman was charged July 2, 2007, with driving with a suspended license and was scheduled to have his initial court appearance Aug. 16, 2007, but didn’t show. A warrant was issued that day for failure to appear, but Nelson turned himself in to authorities and posted a $545 cash bond Aug. 21, 2007. Nelson was arrested Saturday for possession of marijuana after police found the drug in plain view on top of the desk in his dorm room.

Ricky Stanzi, QB: The 20-year-old red-shirt freshman was charged with underage possession of alcohol on May 5, 2007.

Lance Tillison, S: The 20-year-old red-shirt freshman was arrested Sept. 15, 2007, for drunken driving. Tillison pleaded guilty to the charge in Jan. 4, 2008, in a plea deal. Under the arrangement, Tillison received a deferred judgment with unsupervised probation provided his participation in a substance abuse evaluation within 30 days, attendance of a weekend drunken driving program within 120 days and payment of $625 in fines and court costs. He was suspended for two games.

Ryan Donahue, P/PK: The 19-year-old red-shirt freshman was charged with underage possession of alcohol on Feb. 15, 2008.

Brandon Myers, TE: The 22-year-old junior was arrested Dec. 23, 2007, and was charged with public intoxication and interference with official acts after running from Coralville police. Court records show Myers pleaded guilty to the charges the same day he was arrested and was charged $350 for the two offenses.

James Cleveland, WR: The 19-year-old was arrested Saturday for two counts of unlawful possession of a prescription drug and a tax stamp violation after police allegedly found 21 doses of oxycodone and 24 doses of carisoprodol in his dorm room desk.

[ajk4st8]

Anyone have any respect left for KF?

[nickborton]

wow seems like a great program to send your kid to

[isuno1fan]

If we can keep our noses clean and this nonsense continues to happen in IC, I have to believe it will benefit our in state recruiting efforts against the Hawks for the 2-4 legit players Iowa produces each year.

[bizzle]

Ah, the N100's, the hallway I call home.

[alaskaguy]

And the Hawkeye response to this latest story.....

" its hard for me to come down too hard on these guys for possessing either of the drugs, both are painkillers and they play a rough contact sport. Lets just say I'm willing bet these aren't the only 2 players that have this stuff and to bash them personally is a little naive. I just wish they would've concealed it better."

[ketelmeister]

Originally Posted by isuno1fan

If we can keep our noses clean and this nonsense continues to happen in IC, I have to believe it will benefit our in state recruiting efforts against the Hawks for the 2-4 legit players Iowa produces each year.

I completely agree with you on this.......

[whirlybirds]

Originally Posted by isuno1fan

If we can keep our noses clean and this nonsense continues to happen in IC, I have to believe it will benefit our in state recruiting efforts against the Hawks for the 2-4 legit players Iowa produces each year.

I would have to disagree. At the rate the hawks are having arrests, they will have to start paying players just to get kids to come to their program. How can we compete with that?

[rhillary]

This is really sad. Sure, there are a few on there that arn't really anything to get upset about (the ones I refer to are the underage possession of alcohol, because most 19 year old college students do drink, not that it is OK, just not terrible), but there are a good chunk of these that I just can't believe people would do and expect NOT to get caught. Wow, that is a list of people who have SERIOUSLY endangered their futures.

[travman23]

Originally Posted by alaskaguy

And the Hawkeye response to this latest story.....

" its hard for me to come down too hard on these guys for possessing either of the drugs, both are painkillers and they play a rough contact sport. Lets just say I'm willing bet these aren't the only 2 players that have this stuff and to bash them personally is a little naive. I just wish they would've concealed it better."

Mary jane is considered a pain killer? Secondly it's the middle of the winter, these guys are probably doing nothing but weight lifting and light exercise drills at most right now. They can't even hold organized practice right now so doubt they have many aches and pains at the moment. Nice way for whoever said that to spin it. Bottom line is they have some big problems in IC these days. Seems like a weekly occasion at some point that someone is in trouble with the law. Almost need hire a full time lawyer to be on the football staff there...

[Phaedrus]

Is this the South Central Louisiana State University Mud Dogs? And did someone leave the team in the hands of "Farmer Fran?"

"El teh meh 'bout dem tah mah momma doh rehem radag! UH huh?!"

Let the drinking, robbery and rape continue!

[jdoggivjc]

Originally Posted by ketelmeister

Clint Huntrods, long-snapper: The 22-year-old senior was charged with public urination, interference with official acts and public intoxication Sept. 6, 2007 after a police officer caught him urinating on a sidewalk. He was dismissed from the team. He issued a written guilty plea Oct. 24, 2007.

Wow, I can only imagine what will be said about him if he botches a snap that leads to a missed FG or a shanked punt:

"Wow - Huntrods really wizzed that one down his leg..."

[Cybone]

They kicked a guy off of the team for public urination, but the drunk driver only got a 3 games suspension???