Three members of the University of Pittsburgh football team have been suspended after being detained by police Thursday night in a drug bust in Oakland.
Police identified the three players as 20-year-old linebacker Eric Williams, 21-year-old tight end Andrew Carswell, and 21-year-old defensive linemen Khaynin Mosley-Smith.
Pitt head coach Paul Chryst announced the players have been suspended from the team immediately.
“We have strict and clear standards regarding these types of behaviors,” Chryst said. “What has occurred with these three young men does not represent the standards of our program or university.”
It’s been reported that police, undercover officers, and SWAT members were all called to the home in the 3300 block of Juliet Street about 10:30 p.m. Thursday night, as part of an ongoing investigation.
Detectives said they seized 20-bags of heroin, a marijuana bong, and a copper grinder.
SWAT officers were called in to break the door down, to arrest three other men and police have said that the three Pitt players were detained for use or possession of drug paraphernalia.
It’s just another big blow for a Pitt program that can’t afford it.
Many thought that the transfer of Hopewell native Rushel Shell was as bad as things could get, but this certainly tops that.
Williams was making the shift to safety and was listed first on the depth chart at one safety position coming out of spring practice. Carswell was the backup tight end and Mosley-Smith was in the rotation for playing time on the defensive line.
Their arrest came just 10 days after assault charges to three different Pitt players were withdrawn after former Panther Ray Graham and current players Devin Street and Lafayette Pitts completed community service.
The most recent arrest is just another black eye for a program that has been trying to clean up its image after Sports Illustrated ranked Pitt as the number one school in terms of having players with police records. At the time, 22 different Panthers players had criminal records.
Detectives have said that the three Pitt players will receive an arrest summons in the mail.
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