LSU Gridders Arrested
Two current and two former LSU football players were arrested on charges of making unauthorized use of university long-distance phone access cards, campus police said Friday.
Arrested were Jesse Harmon III and Michael Stamps, both of whom left the team last summer; center Brandon J. Winey; and safety Clarence LeBlanc, a starter until he was suspended this week for alleged inappropriate contact with a sports agent.
Coach Gerry DiNardo was in Alabama for Saturday's LSU game and could not be reached for comment.
The charges stemmed from an ongoing police investigation into the illegal use of long distance access codes, and additional arrests are expected, LSU police said.
LSU officials said calls were made on eight to 10 university long-distance access codes, totaling less than $2,000. Some of the football players already have reimbursed LSU for the calls, officials said.
LeBlanc was ruled ineligible for alleged inappropriate contact with a man claiming to be a sports agent.
Harmon transferred before the 1998 season to LSU from Fort Scott Community College in Kansas, where he was selected All-Kansas Jayhawk Conference. He was offensive line MVP of the league last season.
Winey is a starting offensive tackle from Lake Charles.
Stamps, 21, a junior wide receiver, worked out with the team last year. He was issued a summons by campus police in September for hit and run driving. Stamps is no longer with the team but remains on scholarship.
The phone scandal is the third to hit LSU's team in three years.
In May 1997, three LSU assistant coaches reimbursed the school more than $1,900 for phone calls made on the university long distance service.
School officials said rules distinguishing between business and personal calls were not well-defined, and the payments were required to eliminate any hint of impropriety.
In March 1997, an LSU player was arrested on charges of unauthorized use of a long-distance code. Three other players were found to have used the card but were not arrested.
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