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Two football players from a MAC school in Michigan walk into a Walmart, peruse through the aisles, walk out with some stuff they're accused of not paying for, and get arrested for retail fraud. You may have heard this story before, but guess what? It's happened again.
According to a report by David Drew of MLive, Western Michigan football players Eddie Rolle and Devante Lee have been charged with retail fraud—a second-degree misdemeanor in Michigan, punishable by up to one year in jail or up to a $2,000 fine—and are accused of shoplifting from a Walmart.
According to court records obtained by MLive, the incident took place on July 12, the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's department issued a warrant for Lee's arrest on July 23rd, and a warrant for Rolle's arrest on July 24. both are out on bond, and are barred from visiting a Walmart store, according to the MLive report.
Both Lee, a redshirt freshman defensive lineman, and Rolle, a sophomore linebacker, turned themselves in unbeknownst to WMU head football coach P.J. Fleck.
"The first time it was brought to our attention was today," Fleck told MLive. "They played for us and it's very disappointing. We have team rules in place where if anything happens with the police the players immediately contact us and they failed to do that."
Both have been suspended indefinitely.
MLive spoke with Rolle on Thursday, and Rolle is denying any wrongdoing, saying he "was at the wrong place at the wrong time."
Rolle is scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 17, but a date has yet to be set for Lee.
If this all sounds eerily familiar, it's because it is. In early July we told you about a report of two CMU football players who were arrested and charged with retail fraud (among other things) on suspicion of shoplifting from a Walmart. The two are accused of stealing more than $500 worth of "snacks and DVDs" from a Mt. Pleasant, Michigan area Walmart on June 7, 2014.
Apparently, life at a Michigan MAC school is so boring the only thing one can do with his time is to go to Walmart and (allegedly) walk out with a bunch of goodies they didn't pay for.
Might I suggest a new hobby: NOT GETTING ARRESTED.