Pro Athletes Who Have Spent The Most Time in Jail

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February 21st, 2011

While I was thinking about who my players were, I got to thinking… What players gave us a reason to hate them? What players committed crimes and were sent to jail? So I came up with this list of all pro athletes who have been to jail. The list is in order of longest sentence to shortest sentence.

Sentence – Player – Team – Details

Life – Hiroshi Ogawa – retired MLB – murder, theft.

Life – “Fast” Eddie Johnson – retired NBA – burglary, robbery, drug possession, sexual assault on a minor various, given life sentence in 2008.

Life – Robert Rozier (a.k.a. Robert Rameses) - retired from St. Louis Cardinals – multiple murders, convicted of four murders, served 10 years and placed in witness protection after testifying against Yahweh Ben Yahweh (a cult leader in Miami), later sentenced to 25 to life on check writing charge under three strikes rule.

45 years – Mel Hall – retired MLB – three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and two counts of indecency with a child. Serving his sentence at Allred prison in Texas.

41 years – Darryl Henley – Los Angeles Rams – drug trafficking, attempted conspiracy to commit murder, expected release date: March 28, 2031.

31 years – Lawrence Phillips – released/retired NFL – assault, separate incident of assault with a deadly weapon (intentionally driving into victims), 31 years total previously sentenced to 10 years on driving charge, which was reduced to seven years during sentencing for assault charge against his girlfriend in 2009.

24 years – Rae Carruth – Carolina Panthers – conspiracy to commit murder.Projected Release Date October 22, 2018.

22 years – Stanley Wilson Sr. – retired from Cincinnati Bengals – burglary 22 years sentence was under a third strike provision.

20 years, 8 months – Willie Mays Aikens – retired MLB – drug possession with intent to distribute, gun possession. Released to a halfway house after serving 14 plus years due to a retroactive change in sentencing guidelines.

20 years – Eugene “Mercury” Morris – retired from Miami Dolphins – drug trafficking 20 years conviction was overturned, reached plea bargain and released after serving 3 years.

20 years – Denny McLain – retired (from Detroit Tigers) – 2 separate offenses – 1stoffense – drug trafficking, embezzlement, and racketeering 12 years prior sentence overturned after he served two years, released after plea-bargain. 2ndoffense – conspiracy, theft, money laundering and mail fraud 8 years released after serving 6 years.

16 years – Art Schlichter – Indianapolis Colts – forgery, theft, committed over 20 felonies related to gambling, released from prison in June 2006.

15 years – Cecil Collins - Miami Dolphins - burglary Current release date, July 16, 2014. May face further imprisonment in Louisiana after release from Florida prison.

15 years – Tom Payne – Atlanta Hawks -rape (multiple convictions), various, most recently sentenced to 15 years in 2000.

14 years – Ugueth Urbina – Philadelphia Phillies – Attempted murder .

12½ years – Dwayne Goodrich – Dallas Cowboys - criminally negligent homicide Hit and run accident. Eligible for parole in 2009.

10 years – Jack Molinas – Fort Wayne Pistons -bribing players to fix games, 10-15 years, served 5 years.

10 years – Hank Thompson – retired (from New York Giants MLB) – Armed robbery , served three years

9 years – Orenthal “O. J.” Simpson – retired NFL- robbery, kidnapping sentenced 9-33 years.

7½ years – Nate Newton – retired from Dallas Cowboys – drug trafficking (two separate convictions), released after serving about two and a half years.

7½ years – Mike Danton – St. Louis Blues – conspiracy to commit murder. Has been released, is playing hockey for St Marys University in Halifax Nova Scotia Canada,The SMU Huskies Won the Canadian University Championship in 2009-2010,Defending Champs.

7 years – Ricardo Jordan – retired MLB – drug trafficking.

7 years – Steve Durbano – retired NHL – drug smuggling.

7 years – Billy Ray Bates – Retired NBA – robbery, assault.

6 years – Dexter Manley – Washington Redskins – drug possession 4 years (1996), evidence tampering 2 years (2002), served over three years total.

5 years 10 months – Tom McCarthy – retired NHL – conspiracy to traffic drugs, served approx. 4 years in U.S. and Canada.

5 years – Henry James – retired NBA – dealing cocaine.

5 years – Sylvester “Sly” Williams – retired NBA – kidnapping, released after serving 3½ years.

5 years – Billy Cannon – Retired NFL – Counterfeiting.Served 2½ years. Had been elected to the College Football Hall of Fame before his conviction in 1983, but the Hall rescinded the honor before his scheduled induction. The Hall elected him a second time in 2008 and he was inducted at that time.

5 years – Orlando Cepeda – retired MLB – drug possession, served 10 months.

5 years – Allen Iverson – NBA – in high school, maiming by mob. Pardoned by Governor after serving 4 months, conviction later overturned on appeal.

4½ years – Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson – retired (from Dallas Cowboys) – sexual assault, bribery, released after serving 28 months.

4½ years – Charles E. Smith – Boston Celtics – vehicular homicide , served 28 months.

3 years – Travis Henry – NFL Free agent – drug trafficking, expected release date: December 19, 2011.

2½ years – Byron “Bam” Morris – Kansas City Chiefs – drug trafficking. Released after serving two and a half years.

2 years – Plaxico Burress – New York Giants – Attempted criminal possession of a weapon. Conviction was a plea bargain for an incident in which Burress accidentally shot himself in a nightclub.Eligible for parole in April, 2011.

2 years – Donte Stallworth – Cleveland Browns – DUI Manslaughter (Driving under the influence of alcohol), 30 Days incarceration, 2 years house arrest.

2 years - Luther “Ticky” Burden – released/retired (New York Knicks) – receiving stolen property. Originally sentenced to 6 to 18 years for Bank Robbery, conviction was voided.

23 months – Michael Vick - Atlanta Falcons – conspiracy, related to dog fighting.

18 months – Alonzo Spellman – retired/cut (from Chicago Bears) – interference with a flight crew, simple assault, served one year.

18 months – Alex Cole – retired MLB – drug possession with intent to distribute.

18 months – Darryl Strawberry – retired MLB – drug possession, solicitation of prostitution, Sentence was suspended in 1999, reinstated after 2002 parole violation.

1 year – Craig MacTavish – Boston Bruins – vehicular homicide .

1 year – Dwight Gooden – retired – fleeing police, violation of probation (drug use), served 7 months.

1 year – Corie Blount – retired NBA – felony marijuana possession.

1 year – Ruben Patterson – Seattle Supersonics – third degree rape, served 15 days.

7 months – Isaiah Rider – retired (Minnesota Timberwolves) – possession of cocaine, battery, evading a police officer.

5 months – Pete Rose – retired/banned MLB – tax evasion.

5 months – Greg “Cadillac” Anderson – Retired NBA – drug trafficking.

4 months – Jamal Lewis - Baltimore Ravens – using a cell phone to facilitate a drug deal, served four months.

120 days – Terry “Tank” Johnson – Chicago Bears – probation violation relating to weapons possession, served 60 days.

3 months – Leonard Little – St. Louis Rams – involuntary manslaughter three months. Involved in fatal car crash while intoxicated.

90 days – Bob Probert – Detroit Red Wings – drug possession.

2 months – Lonny Baxter – Mens Sana Basket (Italy), formerly with Charlotte Bobcats – gun possession.

60 days – Luis Polonia – Detroit Tigers – Sex with a minor, served 60 days.

Byron McLaughlin – retired MLB – Money laundering — Fled the country before being sentenced. Current whereabouts unknown, presumed to be in France.

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