TALLAHASSEE, Fla.--Former Florida State quarterback
Adrian McPherson was charged with one misdemeanor
count of gambling, including on games in which he
played.

McPherson, who started four games for Florida State
last season, placed bets over the Internet on college
and pro games during the 2002 football season, the
school said Tuesday.

He bet on every Seminoles' game last season, always
wagering that they would win, according to Florida
State police chief Carey Drayton. Sources told
investigators McPherson bet large amounts and owed a
Tallahassee man, identified as Dereck Delach, a total
of $8,000, police said.

Delach and Florida State football team equipment
manager Jeffrey Inderhees were charged Tuesday with
one felony count of bookmaking.

McPherson was kicked off Florida State's team in
November, after police said he was connected to the
theft of a blank check later cashed for $3,500.

McPherson, who has denied the check-related charge,
told Sports Illustrated that he did not bet on college
football.

"I never bet on any games," McPherson said in comments
posted on the magazine's Web site. "I'm charged, but
they're just going off what they think, I guess. This
is something we'll have to decide in court.

"I didn't do it, so I want them to show me where I've
been betting. I never even knew this guy, Dereck. So
show me who I bet with, whoever he is."

McPherson's lawyer, Grady Irvin Jr., did not
immediately return a call seeking comment.

Inderhees was in Tallahassee on Tuesday and was
expected to surrender to Tallahassee police, Drayton
said. Delach was in Pennsylvania, according to
authorities.

The charges result from a three-month investigation by
the university, Tallahassee police and the Florida
Department of Law Enforcement.

Drayton said Inderhees told investigators that he and
McPherson placed bets on collegiate and professional
basketball games as early as January 2002.

Several other sources told investigators they were
present when McPherson placed bets, and Inderhees was
often the contact with Delach, who then placed bets on
the Internet for McPherson.

Delach had eight or nine regular customers, according
to the police report. His laptop was seized Dec. 11,
2002, and its contents included gambling-related data,
Drayton said.

Bob Minnix, Florida State's associate athletics
director for compliance, said the school does not
expect to receive any NCAA sanctions because of
McPherson's alleged behavior.

"We anticipate it will not affect Florida State in any
way," Minnix said.

Bill Saum, the NCAA's Director of Agent, Gambling and
Amateurism Activities, said the NCAA has been working
with Florida State officials for many months regarding
the gambling allegations and have found no wrongdoing
on the school's part.

"Florida State is not at risk in this situation,
unless someone knew this was taking place," Saum said.
"To date, there's no evidence there that anyone did
know or should have known this was going on."

The charges came one day after McPherson, who is
living in Bradenton, was in a car wreck near Apollo
Beach. He was not injured.

McPherson, 19, was wearing his seat belt and was not
ejected from the vehicle, which blew a tire and
flipped several times. He was evaluated at the
hospital and released.

--END--

http://espn.go.com/ncf/news/2003/0304/1518054.html



__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more
http://taxes.yahoo.com/