UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH – Antonio Bryant, Pitt’s star All-American wide receiver, was arrested Monday morning at Pittsburgh International Airport for allegedly using a plane ticket that was purchased with a stolen credit card.
Bryant, who had returned from his U.S. Airways flight to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where he was attending a charity clinic, was immediately arrested and charged with receiving stolen property, then arraigned. He was released on his own recognizance after the arraignment.
Bryant, 20, who is from Miami, used a round-trip ticket that was worth $1,263. The ticket was purchased through Heather Levine’s debit card, in his name.
According to police documents, Levine said she had not purchased the ticket for Bryant, nor had she given Bryant permission to use her card or any information contained on the card that could be used to purchase the ticket.
The ticket was purchased by phone on the U.S. Airways “800″ system. A caller using the name Hugh Lapaix made the call and said Bryant would be picking up the ticket. Bryant showed identification to pick up the ticket and was detained when he returned from his trip.
E.J. Borghetti, the athletic department’s director of media relations, said officials knew of a situation regarding Bryant but they are still in the “fact finding” stage.
“We believe strongly in Antonio Bryant,” said Pitt head coach Walt Harris. “I will not – and I hope others will not – rush to judgment until all the facts are in. We will stand by Antonio and we hope his name will be cleared when this situation is resolved.”
This is not the first time that Bryant has had a run-in with the law or has found himself in trouble with the team.
He was arrested Jan. 9 after arguing with campus police over a parking ticket. He was charged with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor.
Bryant was suspended for the season opener against Kent State last fall, along with five teammates, for the unauthorized use of University phone access codes.
He was also suspended twice during spring drills in April for missing practices and fighting with teammates and linebackers coach David Blackwell.
After receiving the Biletnikoff Award last season as the nation’s top wide receiver, Bryant is now the center of a Pitt-led campaign to recognize him as a top candidate for the Heisman Trophy.
Bryant set a Big East season record for receiving yards and led the nation in average yards received per game.
Athletic director Steve Pederson was out of town and unavailable for comment.
E-mail the author: 
KENNETH PAULContributing Editor
(Powered by 