Four Grambling State athletes, including the men’s basketball team’s second-leading scorer, were recently arrested for their alleged roles in a campus dorm room invasion.
As first reported by the Lincoln Parish Journal, Sidney Franklin, Melvin Priestly, Derreion Hinton and Carte’are Gordon, were apprehended after reportedly forcing their way into a dorm and threatening its occupants with a pistol.
A police affidavit indicated that the men had been looking for someone they suspected had stolen money from them. During the alleged interaction with two unidentified residents, it was reported the group had beaten and later threatened them with a semiautomatic weapon, the affidavit said. One of the suspects carrying the pistol allegedly told one of the victims, “If you say anything, you’re gone.”
Officers who responded to the scene observed the victims featured “cuts and bruises on their faces.” No other serious injuries were reported.
Franklin was arrested Friday evening. Gordon, Priestly and Hinton were taken into custody last Thursday after Hinton was identified on video surveillance cameras as having been among four individuals who broke into the dorm.
They all were booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center on home invasion complaints.
Franklin had committed to play football at Grambling last April, though he did not appear in a game during the 2022 season.
Priestly was a freshman offensive lineman last season, and Hinton was listed as a freshman linebacker.
Gordon is a current redshirt junior on GSU men’s basketball team, which most recently clinched a share of the SWAC regular season championship. Gordon, the Tigers’ second-leader scorer, averages 12.7 points per game and shoots 56 percent from the field, which is third among on the team.
Gordon did not appear in the team’s 69-49 win over Alabama State on Saturday.
In a statement to HBCU Sports, the university said that it “is currently investigating the matter and we will provide no further comment at this moment.”
It was not disclosed whether the athletes involved have faced any disciplinary action from the school.
