Report: Warren Sapp faces jail time after Arizona assault case re-opened
Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp was dropped from a pre-trial diversion program in Arizona following a Nevada domestic violence charge and now faces an assault charge stemming from a Super Bowl weekend arrest, reports Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times.
Sapp was arrested in April and charged three domestic battery misdemeanors after being accused of biting his girlfriend, throwing her to the ground and stepping on her head in an incident at a resort in Henderson, Nevada. He is scheduled to appear July 23 to face those charges.
Sapp, 42, was also arrested in February after two female exotic dancers say that Sapp assaulted them in a Phoenix hotel room after an argument about money.
Sapp pleaded guilty in April to one count of soliciting prostitution and one count of assault and a Phoenix judge dismissed a solicitation charge against Sapp after he successfully completed a diversion program.
Because of that incident, prosecutors in Arizona said that Sapp "failed to meet the terms and conditions" of a plea deal made following the arrest.
Sapp is now due in an Arizona court on July 31 after investigators re-opened an assault charge against him.
Sapp, a seven-time Pro Bowler during his 13 NFL seasons, faced misdemeanor charges of soliciting prostitution and two counts of assault, counts that have penalties of up to $2,500 in fines, six months in jail, three years' probation and 30 days in jail.
After completing the Prostitution Solicitation Counseling Program, Sapp had a year from the day he signed the plea agreements on April 24 to complete the Positive Alternatives Diversion Program for the assault charge.
Since Sapp failed to complete the terms of his plea bargain, he could face jail time, probation, and payment of restitution and fees.
Sapp was in town for Super Bowl XLIX as part of his job as an analyst with the NFL Network. Sapp was fired from his job with the network after his February arrest.
- Scooby Axson
