By Stephanie Taylor
Staff Writer
The four Mississippi State students accused of stealing memorabilia from the Mal Moore Athletic Facility in April won’t serve time in jail.
All four of the young men were charged with third-degree burglary after they were caught on video taking watches, commemorative coins, a raincoat and a football from the facility.
The items were later recovered.
The two older defendants, both 21 at the time, have been sentenced to participate in the Second Chance program, which requires participants to complete community service and maintain contact with a case worker before their charges are dismissed. The younger defendants, 20 at the time, likely received youthful offender status because their cases are sealed and no longer accessible through the state’s online court database.
Sameul Tanner Fittes and Joshua Jordan, both 21, were sentenced to the Second Chance program. John Thomas Badley and Joel Harper Hudnall, both 20, likely received youthful offender.
Tuscaloosa defense attorney Daniel Pruet represented Fittes.
“Tanner is sorry for the role he played that night,” Pruet said. “What started as a prank grew into something more serious and Tanner regrets the negative impact his actions have had on those affected. He has learned so much since that night and he is working hard to put this incident behind him.”
Jordan was sentenced in May and completed three months in the Second Chance program before his case was dismissed.
Participants in the program must submit to random drug and alcohol screens.
According to court documents, the four young men were caught on surveillance video breaking into the complex at 1102 Coliseum Drive at 2:17 a.m. the morning of April 4. The report indicates that the suspects entered through a door and did not use force.
