UPDATE: Rawls reinstated after accepting plea deal
Suspended football player granted permission to leave state
After a two-week suspension, running back Thomas Rawls has been cleared to rejoin the Central Michigan University football team.
Suspended from the team Sept.8, Rawls pleaded guilty Tuesday in Isabella County Trial Court to one count of attempted larceny in a building, a high court misdemeanor.
The charge is punishable by up to two years in prison, or a $1,000 fine.CMU Athletic Director Dave Heeke confirmed hours later that Rawls had been reinstated to the team. “His opportunity to play will be evaluated by our coaches,” Heeke said. “He had fulfilled disciplinary measures that we feel are appropriate at this time. We decided to move forward.”
Heeke said it was CMU Police Chief Bill Yeagley who brought the warrant for Rawls’ arrest to the department’s attention. “We had been hearing some rumors,” Heeke said. “Ultimately, it was confirmed by campus police that there was a potential issue.”
Head football coach Dan Enos was not made available to comment on Rawls. Rawls greed to testify against co-defendants in the case. His sentencing is set for 3 p.m. Oct. 21 He will serve no jail time.
As part of his plea agreement, Rawls also asked Isabella County Trial Court Judge Mark Duthie for permission to travel with the CMU football team to Toledo this weekend.
At Tuesday morning’s hearing, Duthie asked Rawls’ attorney Tom Hausmann if the running back would be re-instated to the CMU football team.“It is my understanding he will be reinstated,” Hausmann said.
Duthie allowed the travel exemption for “purposes of football team activities.” Assistant prosecutor Bob Holmes detailed the events of the night Rawls conspired with an accomplice to steal a 62-year-old Holly woman’s purse.
Rawls testified Tuesday that he did not touch any contents of the purse that night, but moved the purse to the floor so his friend could steal it.
After the hearing, Holmes said he was satisfied with the outcome of the case.“I don’t care that he’s a football player,” Holmes said. “He did not get treated any better or any worse.
This is a pretty standard operating procedure for a first-time offender.”Rawls, now 21, was 20 years old at the time of the crime.
Duthie said he would contemplate the possibility of placing Rawls in the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act program, should he cooperate with court directives.
State law allows a judge to place a youth between 17 and 20 who is alleged to have committed a crime and who has pleaded guilty to that crime to avoid a criminal record.
If the youth successfully completes the program, there is no criminal record. The Flint-native was charged with three felonies stemming from the April 8 incident at the Soaring Eagle Casino.
A warrant was issued for Rawls’ arrest on May 16. He officially joined the CMU football team on July 2.
Heeke said the department was unaware of the warrant issued for Rawls’ arrest before Sept. 5. “Coach Enos and I are in constant communication about disciplinary measures,” Heeke said. “We makes the best decisions possible based upon the information that is provided to us.”
Rawls and a friend are accused of using credit cards stolen from the purse to purchase food and gasoline totaling in $33.77.
On the morning of CMU’s most recent home game against Syracuse, the university announced Rawls would not play against the Orange due to “an issue that came to the department’s attention,” the day before.After the game, team officials refused to answer any questions regarding Rawls.
The next day, Rawls surrendered to Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribal Police.
Heeke said Rawls’ scholarship to play football at CMU is unaffected by the case.
Enos and Rawls will be made available to reporters after practice Wednesday.
