TCU drug bust includes 4 football players

Harry · February 16, 2012

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Authorities arrested 17 students at Texas Christian University on Wednesday as part of a six-month drug sting, an especially embarrassing blow to the school because it included four members of the high-profile football team.

Arrest warrants painted a startling picture of the Horned Frogs, with a handful of players who allegedly arranged marijuana sales after class or around practice and who told police that most of the team had failed a surprise drug test just two weeks ago.

According to police, players sold undercover officers marijuana during the season and as recently as last week.

"There are days people want to be a head football coach, but today is not one of those days," coach Gary Patterson said in a prepared statement. "As I heard the news this morning, I was first shocked, then hurt and now I'm mad."

The 17 people arrested were caught making "hand-to-hand" sales of marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy and prescription drugs to undercover officers, police said. They said the bust followed an investigation prompted by complaints from students, parents and others.

TCU has an enrollment of about 9,500 students, but the athlete arrests drew the most scrutiny. The bust came just one day after a thrilling overtime victory by the men's basketball team over a ranked opponent and less than 24 hours after TCU released its football schedule for next season, its first in the Big 12 Conference.

Three prominent defensive players on the team were arrested: linebacker Tanner Brock, the leading tackler two seasons ago, defensive tackle D.J. Yendrey and cornerback Devin Johnson. The other player is offensive lineman Ty Horn.

While school Chancellor Victor Boschini said he didn't think TCU had a "football problem," the arrest affidavits raise the possibility that other players were involved.

In November, a Fort Worth police officer was informed that Horn was selling marijuana to "college students and football players at Texas Christian." The officer allegedly bought marijuana that day, Nov. 3, two days before a road game at Wyoming, from both Horn and Yendrey.

Officers during the next several months allegedly set up drug deals with the players outside restaurants, a grocery store and other areas around campus. On Jan. 19, Brock allegedly sold an officer $200 worth of marijuana after Yendrey ran out.

"After a short conversation about the marijuana, Brock and I exchanged phone numbers, telling me to come to him from now on instead of (Yendrey)," according to the affidavits.

Horn and Johnson scoffed at the Feb. 1 team drug test ordered by Patterson, police said. Brock allegedly told an undercover officer that he failed the surprise test "for sure," but that it wouldn't be a problem because there "would be about 60 people screwed."

Horn had looked through the football roster and "said there were only 20 people that would pass the test on the team," Brock said, according to the warrant.

Read More: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jMGfyt4_f7o3yk1gTUfKxvj2pbnA?docId=712f847e34354e53b56d9495b4020be5

Harry · February 16, 2012

TCU Police Chief: Hero or Moron?

Harry · February 16, 2012

Mugshots

Rudy · February 16, 2012

You've got to love the t.u. fans crying that TCU has "embarrased" the Big 12. Don't you love selective memory. I guess Mack's handling of things "in house" is integrity.

Mean Green 93-98 · February 16, 2012

TCU Police Chief: Hero or Moron?

I never would have guessed there were so many apologists for drug dealers at TCU. One poster says drug dealers are bad, and the rest of them rip him to shreds.

GrayEagle · February 16, 2012

I hope that Juris Frog isn't a future attorney. Sit on months of undercover work? Really?

Aquila_Viridis · February 16, 2012

So was the officer actually employed by Baylor or do they just have an informal arrangement?

emmitt01 · February 16, 2012

I hope that Juris Frog isn't a future attorney. Sit on months of undercover work? Really?

Don't even get me started

greenminer · February 16, 2012

If you could monetize the bad press it is in the tens of millions.

?

UNTcrazy727 · February 16, 2012

From looking at that TCU thread it seems like they're all supporting the drug dealers, like they're martyrs or something.

perryfrog · February 16, 2012

From looking at that TCU thread it seems like they're all supporting the drug dealers, like they're martyrs or something.

Do you really believe that TCU fans think they are martyrs or something?

VideoEagle · February 16, 2012

Do you really believe that TCU fans think they are martyrs or something?

I don't. I'm sure there are some frog fans who would excuse murder to win a big game, but the majority would not. We have some of those fans as well, but they aren't the majority here either. "You can't win with choirboys" statements used to be a common excuse to cover any type of behavior.

I do think there should be a scale, that some things that are illegal or just wrong are not as bad as others. But this goes beyond hat. The DMN had several articles today about how TCU acted correctly in both going public and acting immediately. In similar circumstances, I would hope NT would do the same thing. There are a lot of things far more important than winning football games.

SilverEagle · February 16, 2012

Dale Hansens reaction.......

http://www.wfaa.com/video?id=139415633&sec=553117

UNT90 · February 16, 2012

FWPD kinda hung TCU out to dry, either intentionally or unintentionally.

The information about the drug test given the players comes straight from the arrest warrant affidavit. Arrest warrant affidavits are public record, and are always obtained by the media in high profile incidents. The police know this. For that reason, arrest warrant affidavits are usually very brief summations that establish bare bones probable cause. That wasn't the case in this investigation. The affidavit went out of it's way to mention the comments by a TCU player involving the drug test of the team. This has absolutely zero value in establishing probable cause for delivery of marihuana.

Not really fair to the TCU program. We saw this several years ago with Coach Dodge. Bit to put in an affidavit a quote from a player saying 90 percent Of the team failed a drug test is very gratuitous and not something that would normally occur.

Leads me to believe that the detective who wrote the affidavit either a) doesn't know that affidavits are public record (highly doubtful) or c) he is not a fan of TCU football and decided to make things extremely difficult on the TCU program.

Possible SMU grad?

Harry · February 16, 2012

I feel for TCU because it is a good school and we all know this stuff is happening at every college campus all over the US and has forever...

The big issue that I see is one that I've pointed out for some time. In a private school environment like TCU and SMU you have primarily a wealthy group of students who come from money. It was that way when I graduated back in 90 and hasn't changed much since. The football players that TCU recruits are not typically from this type of background. It has to be difficult when you are from a lower income or blue collar type of background and you go to TCU or SMU and are trying to meld socially with kids who have nice cars and big bank accounts. I think TCU and SMU try to create an artificial bubble in which these athletes can function and thrive but this latest story indicates that it may not be working.

TCU and SMU have an advantage in that they can sell the dollar value of their education in terms of actual tuition to parents, but the makeup of their student population can be challenging for kids who are not from wealthy families and communities.

UNTcrazy727 · February 16, 2012

Do you really believe that TCU fans think they are martyrs or something?

U mad bro?

The Fake Lonnie Finch · February 16, 2012

The posts in the TCU fansite thread are ridiculous. Amazing, or maybe not, that they defend the drug-selling by students and players.

They'll fit in perfectly with Texas and OU.

Fortunately for the university itself, Gary Patterson and the Chancellor have reacted differently than the idiots on the TCU fansite.

And, saying this was small time is stupid. Those undercovers didn't go in and get a little dime bag. Read the affidavits. Buying around $200 worth just about every time, not a $10-$20 dime bag just to roll up a few j's for the week.

These guys offered to weigh it, told the undercovers that they could be their regular source whenever they needed and went beyond dope as well, and supplied the dope in quantities larger than just anaverage pothead would use. This wasn't, "Hey, man you gotta j?" - "Yeah, I'll sell it to ya for a couple of bucks."

TCU fans who ignore that are as pitiful as OU and Texas fans who defend their dope users, drunk drivers, penny-ante thugs and thieves, and freeloaders. Again, thankfully Patterson and the Chancellor see the bigger picture.

greenminer · February 16, 2012

Star-telegram reports 5 failed Feb. 1st drug test, contrary to the original 90% quoted from the

affidavits

link

Five TCU football players tested positive for marijuana and failed a Feb. 1 drug test initiated by coach Gary Patterson, a source told the Star-Telegram. Another 11 had trace amounts within the margin of error, the source said.

Marijuana was the only drug detected. Eighty-six players were clear.

Patterson ordered the tests after a recruit complained of drug use by players and turned down the Horned Frogs' scholarship offer, sources have said.

Edited February 16, 2012 by greenminer

UNT Five&Dime · February 16, 2012

Star-telegram reports 5 failed Feb. 1st drug test, contrary to the original 90% quoted from the
affidavits

To be fair, the original number came from a pothead (not UNT90, the player).

wardly · February 16, 2012

FWPD kinda hung TCU out to dry, either intentionally or unintentionally.

The information about the drug test given the players comes straight from the arrest warrant affidavit. Arrest warrant affidavits are public record, and are always obtained by the media in high profile incidents. The police know this. For that reason, arrest warrant affidavits are usually very brief summations that establish bare bones probable cause. That wasn't the case in this investigation. The affidavit went out of it's way to mention the comments by a TCU player involving the drug test of the team. This has absolutely zero value in establishing probable cause for delivery of marihuana.

Not really fair to the TCU program. We saw this several years ago with Coach Dodge. Bit to put in an affidavit a quote from a player saying 90 percent Of the team failed a drug test is very gratuitous and not something that would normally occur.

Leads me to believe that the detective who wrote the affidavit either a) doesn't know that affidavits are public record (highly doubtful) or c) he is not a fan of TCU football and decided to make things extremely difficult on the TCU program.

Possible SMU grad?

i doubt that 90% of team was using drugs. however, i bet 100% of team knew which players were dealing.

forevereagle · February 16, 2012

Star-telegram reports 5 failed Feb. 1st drug test, contrary to the original 90% quoted from the
affidavits

link

And because it is a private university, we'll never be able to really know the truth since FOIA doesn't apply. A "source" could be someone that the university told to say that.

GrandGreen · February 17, 2012

I didn't believe the dealers assessment of the drug test results, and now I don't believe the leaked version. If the whole team took the test and 4 are now known dealers, what are the odds that only 5 failed the test. Marijuana by the way stays in your system a very long time unlike most recreational drugs.

I doubt that TCU has any bigger problem than the majority of university teams or any other segment of the student body, I just find it very convenience that they can't reveal the drug test results, yet some how the FWST has a reliable source to obtain those results.

UNT90 · February 17, 2012

I didn't believe the dealers assessment of the drug test results, and now I don't believe the leaked version. If the whole team took the test and 4 are now known dealers, what are the odds that only 5 failed the test. Marijuana by the way stays in your system a very long time unlike most recreational drugs.

I doubt that TCU has any bigger problem than the majority of university teams or any other segment of the student body, I just find it very convenience that they can't reveal the drug test results, yet some how the FWST has a reliable source to obtain those results.

http://m.star-telegram.com/star/db_/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=cqpEysqy

FWST in full protective mode.

He makes some good points, unfortunately