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The trials and tribulations of Saints fifth-round pick Adrian McPherson

Adrian McPherson pleaded no contests to four felonies and two misdemeanors in July 2003, including theft, forgery, gambling and passing bad checks. After reaching a plea agreement with prosecutors, he was sentenced to probation, community service, 90 days at a work camp and ordered to pay restitution.

Only one charge went to trial -- the misdemeanor online gambling case, which ended in a hung jury.

Following is a breakdown of those cases, in addition to others that he was under investigation for, according to police and court documents. All of them occurred between January and November of 2002.


Stolen check

McPherson eventually confessed to stealing a blank check from an office desk drawer at R&R Truck & Auto Accessories in Tallahassee, Fla., then forging it for $3,500 and writing it out to friend Melvin Capers Jr., who cashed it.

McPherson originally claimed that he found the blank check on the floor and threw it away in Capers' wastebasket without filling it out. He signed a sworn legal affidavit to that effect before telling the truth to FSU officials and turning himself in to police nine days after the incident occurred.

McPherson was charged with both felony and misdemeanor theft, forgery and uttering (or knowingly circulating) a forged document. McPherson was kicked off the Florida State football team for lying to coaches and athletic department members about the incident. FSU officials declined comment for this story.

McPherson said he understood that the school did what had to be done and that he has maintained a decent relationship with his former team, even talking to Coach Bobby Bowden before this April's draft.


Gambling

Soon after his arrest, allegations surfaced that McPherson had been involved in sports wagering, dating back to January of 2002. During a three-month joint investigation by the Florida State University Police Department, Tallahassee Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, at least seven friends, teammates and FSU equipment managers told authorities they witnessed McPherson making bets of up to $1,000 at a time.

Five witnesses said they saw McPherson placing bets on college basketball through a bookie in early 2002 and that he was cut off after his debt reached $8,000.

Then in the fall, McPherson began gambling online, according to two of his friends, Capers and Otis Livingston. They testified that they placed bets with him through the gambling service SBG Global. Livingston testified that they all made bets two or three times per week on college football, NFL and NBA games, and that McPherson bet on Florida State to win every week.

Both men also testified that McPherson made sure none of the accounts was in his name, because he knew he could get in trouble with the NCAA. Records indicated McPherson's cell phone was used to call SBG Global at least four times.

McPherson was not tried for betting with the bookie because the statute of limitations had run out. The online gambling trial ended in a hung jury, although the jury voted 5-1 to convict.

McPherson maintains that he has never gambled on any sports. He said his mistake was hanging around with people who gambled. He also said he was upset Livingston and Capers admitted to gambling but were never charged because of their cooperation in his investigation and trial.


Passing bad checks

McPherson was charged with felony theft for passing worthless bank checks. He cashed five checks for $76 apiece at two area grocery stores, all of which bounced.

McPherson said he did not deliberately bounce the checks but that he did not know how to properly manage his bank account. His bank records from the fall of 2002 show a string of overdraft fees and charges for insufficient funds. Both McPherson and his mother, Henrietta, said the bank statements went home to his parents and that she would constantly remind him to keep better track of his account balance.


Stealing credit cards

McPherson was accused on at least three occasions of using other people's credit cards to purchase clothing, shoes and jewelry without permission. Twice, he was accused of using credit card numbers to purchase items off the Internet. Another student told authorities and Florida State officials that he suspected McPherson had stolen his credit card out of his room and used it at a store in a mall to purchase two new suits, which he saw McPherson wearing.

McPherson denies the charges and said he would not have been able to use somebody else's credit card in a Tallahassee mall, where he was well-known and would have been recognized. Charges were never filed in the case.

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