Omega
Post by beth on Aug 29, 2010 13:19:31 GMT -5
Remember the story a few months ago about the Texas high school ball player who turned out to be an older guy pulling a con?
Well .. here's another one in Florida. Amazing!
Man, 21, posed as middle-schooler for football
‘This guy had us all fooled. I mean this guy acted just like a little kid’
TAMPA - A 21-year-old man impersonated a 14-year-old by playing in a youth football league and attempted to enroll at a Hillsborough County Middle School, according to league and school district officials.
Julious Threatts, 21, used the name Chad Jordan to register and play for the Town N' Country Packers on Aug. 21, said Packers athletic director Ray McCloud. The Packers are made up of 13- and 14-year-olds and play in the Tampa Bay Youth Football League on Aug. 21.
On Tuesday, he attempted to enroll at Webb Middle School at 6305 Hanley Road, again under the alias, Chad Jordan.
Steve Hegarty, Hillsborough County School District spokesman, said Threatts showed up alone and without the proper paperwork at Webb. Threatts told administrators he was homeless.
Hegarty said the Department of Child and Families was called in, while Threatts waited in the cafeteria where he was given a snack.
According to Hegarty, Webb Principal Marcos Murillo walked through the cafeteria at that point and saw Threatts. Hegarty said Murillo told him, "He looks too old to be in middle school."
Threatts was moved to the social worker's office, where Threatt's cell phone rang. Hegarty said one of the administrators in the room answered. The voice on the other end said she was Threatts' mother, which is when his true identity became known.
Later Tuesday, Threatts was arrested on trespassing charges at the school.
According to police records, Threatts said he was a runaway and used the alias, "Chad Jordan," the same name he used on a forged birth certificate to play for the Town N' Country Packers. Threatts remained in the Hillsborough County Jail on Saturday. In addition to the trespassing charge, he also is being held on charges of violating probation in a 2009 burglary case, records show.
McCloud, the Packers athletic director, said the team became suspicious of Threatts when opposing coaches recognized him.
When it was brought to McCloud's attention that Threatts was an impostor who played for an opposing youth football coach the previous year, McCloud called a meeting with Threatts.
"I brought him into this room with seven of our board members and coaches and said, 'Come on now, tell us the truth, who are you?' " McCloud said. "He looked me right in the eye and said, 'I swear I am who I say I am. I'm Chad Jordan.'
"This guy had us all fooled. I mean this guy acted just like a little kid. Everything about him was a little kid. He's a total scam artist."
Threatts is 5-foot-11, 160 pounds, which is 10 pounds under the 170 pounds to play varsity level (13 and 14-year-olds) in the TBYFL.
McCloud, who estimates he has more than 200 football players and cheerleaders within the Town N' Country Packers organization, said the volunteers who handled Threatts' paperwork couldn't remember which parent or guardian vouched for Threatts on the required forms. McCloud said Threatts' form was not notarized, which is the case with many of the Town N' Country Packer players.
"Our volunteers are overwhelmed," McCloud said.
Besides the forged birth certificate, McCloud said Threatts' elaborate story included his parents died and he had moved from Seattle with his brother. There also was a lengthy e-mail from an alleged scout at the high school recruiting service Rivals.com analyzing Chad Jordan.
McCloud said he believed Threatts also forged the e-mail. The e-mail, which circulated heavily among TBYFL coaches, said Chad Jordan was "a very special prospect" who "hasn't signed" but has "offers from USC (University of Southern California), Texas and Florida." The email included quotes and lengthy statistics.
When TBYFL president Scott Levinson learned about Threatts, Levinson said, "I was angry. My goal is to protect kids, to make sure they're all safe and taken care of.
"We're going to investigate this to the full extent."
Citrus Park Bills Athletic Director Mike Black said he hopes so, and not because Threatts scored two touchdowns in the Packers' 35-0 victory over the Bills.
"We need to do whatever it takes to make sure this type of thing doesn't happen again," said Black, who has been involved with the Bills more than eight years. "Believe me, I understand that some people are going to try and take advantage of the system, but we need to work to stop those people.
"(TBYFL) should not be about winning. It should be about trying to help kids learn and grow into better people by playing football."
Besides playing for the Packers this year, McCloud said he discovered Threatts played in another youth league last year and for the Seahawks in the TBYFL two years ago.
nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/38903075/ns/sports-othersports/
Well .. here's another one in Florida. Amazing!
Man, 21, posed as middle-schooler for football
‘This guy had us all fooled. I mean this guy acted just like a little kid’
TAMPA - A 21-year-old man impersonated a 14-year-old by playing in a youth football league and attempted to enroll at a Hillsborough County Middle School, according to league and school district officials.
Julious Threatts, 21, used the name Chad Jordan to register and play for the Town N' Country Packers on Aug. 21, said Packers athletic director Ray McCloud. The Packers are made up of 13- and 14-year-olds and play in the Tampa Bay Youth Football League on Aug. 21.
On Tuesday, he attempted to enroll at Webb Middle School at 6305 Hanley Road, again under the alias, Chad Jordan.
Steve Hegarty, Hillsborough County School District spokesman, said Threatts showed up alone and without the proper paperwork at Webb. Threatts told administrators he was homeless.
Hegarty said the Department of Child and Families was called in, while Threatts waited in the cafeteria where he was given a snack.
According to Hegarty, Webb Principal Marcos Murillo walked through the cafeteria at that point and saw Threatts. Hegarty said Murillo told him, "He looks too old to be in middle school."
Threatts was moved to the social worker's office, where Threatt's cell phone rang. Hegarty said one of the administrators in the room answered. The voice on the other end said she was Threatts' mother, which is when his true identity became known.
Later Tuesday, Threatts was arrested on trespassing charges at the school.
According to police records, Threatts said he was a runaway and used the alias, "Chad Jordan," the same name he used on a forged birth certificate to play for the Town N' Country Packers. Threatts remained in the Hillsborough County Jail on Saturday. In addition to the trespassing charge, he also is being held on charges of violating probation in a 2009 burglary case, records show.
McCloud, the Packers athletic director, said the team became suspicious of Threatts when opposing coaches recognized him.
When it was brought to McCloud's attention that Threatts was an impostor who played for an opposing youth football coach the previous year, McCloud called a meeting with Threatts.
"I brought him into this room with seven of our board members and coaches and said, 'Come on now, tell us the truth, who are you?' " McCloud said. "He looked me right in the eye and said, 'I swear I am who I say I am. I'm Chad Jordan.'
"This guy had us all fooled. I mean this guy acted just like a little kid. Everything about him was a little kid. He's a total scam artist."
Threatts is 5-foot-11, 160 pounds, which is 10 pounds under the 170 pounds to play varsity level (13 and 14-year-olds) in the TBYFL.
McCloud, who estimates he has more than 200 football players and cheerleaders within the Town N' Country Packers organization, said the volunteers who handled Threatts' paperwork couldn't remember which parent or guardian vouched for Threatts on the required forms. McCloud said Threatts' form was not notarized, which is the case with many of the Town N' Country Packer players.
"Our volunteers are overwhelmed," McCloud said.
Besides the forged birth certificate, McCloud said Threatts' elaborate story included his parents died and he had moved from Seattle with his brother. There also was a lengthy e-mail from an alleged scout at the high school recruiting service Rivals.com analyzing Chad Jordan.
McCloud said he believed Threatts also forged the e-mail. The e-mail, which circulated heavily among TBYFL coaches, said Chad Jordan was "a very special prospect" who "hasn't signed" but has "offers from USC (University of Southern California), Texas and Florida." The email included quotes and lengthy statistics.
When TBYFL president Scott Levinson learned about Threatts, Levinson said, "I was angry. My goal is to protect kids, to make sure they're all safe and taken care of.
"We're going to investigate this to the full extent."
Citrus Park Bills Athletic Director Mike Black said he hopes so, and not because Threatts scored two touchdowns in the Packers' 35-0 victory over the Bills.
"We need to do whatever it takes to make sure this type of thing doesn't happen again," said Black, who has been involved with the Bills more than eight years. "Believe me, I understand that some people are going to try and take advantage of the system, but we need to work to stop those people.
"(TBYFL) should not be about winning. It should be about trying to help kids learn and grow into better people by playing football."
Besides playing for the Packers this year, McCloud said he discovered Threatts played in another youth league last year and for the Seahawks in the TBYFL two years ago.
nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/38903075/ns/sports-othersports/
