Football players won't be charged for phone fraud

The Monroe County prosecutor has declined to press charges against IU football players involved in a phone fraud investigation, an IU Police Department spokesman said Tuesday.\nIUPD Lt. Jerry Minger said the department will leave the case open but "inactive," since the prosecutor said there aren't grounds to press criminal charges. Minger said the department had done all it could with the investigation.\nJennifer Brinegar, IU athletics compliance coordinator, said all players who lost their eligibility to play because of the infraction are no longer suspended because they reimbursed IU for the long distance calls.\nThe investigation focused on one football player who allegedly stole a long distance access code from an assistant football coach, then distributed the number to other players. In total, $480 worth of long distance calls were made using the access code, owned by the IU Athletics Department.\nAt IU, campus residents, faculty and staff members can only make long distance calls using the University phone service after they enter a seven-digit personal access code, or PAC, according to University Information Technology Services. The PAC acts as a billing number so UITS can bill the correct resident, staff or faculty member for long distance calls.\nIn the early stages of the investigation, one player confessed to police and three others told the IDS they were aware of players using the code without authorization, but they didn't know which players were involved.\nFour players were suspects, and at an Oct. 21 press conference, IU football coach Gerry DiNardo said the player involved "to the highest degree" was removed from the team over the summer before the current fall semester.\nOn Oct. 21, then-Athletics Department Director of Media Relations Jeff Fanter said sophomore Damien Jones was the only player removed from the team during that period.\nAccording to NCAA bylaws, it is not permissible to allow a student-athlete to use a telephone or credit card for personal reasons without charge or at a reduced cost. When the total is less than $100, players must pay the bill. For larger sums, the guidelines mandate suspensions.\nBrinegar, who ensures IU athletic programs are in compliance with NCAA rules, said the issue deals with players receiving extra benefits they wouldn't have normally been entitled to.\nShe said she had been in contact with IUPD Det. Greg McClure, who had requested a copy of her report so he could close the case. Brinegar said she expected to have it completed within the next few days.\nMonroe County prosecutor Carl Salzmann did not return phone messages.\n-- Contact staff writer Brandon Morley at bmorley@indiana.edu.