BILLINGS, Mont. — Ex-NFL player Travis Henry has signed a plea deal with prosecutors in which he admits to a single cocaine conspiracy charge in exchange for two other charges being dropped.
Henry, 30, of Frostproof, Fla., is scheduled to appear Thursday for a change of plea hearing in Billings. Under the plea deal filed with the court Tuesday, he will admit to conspiracy to possess at least 11 pounds of cocaine with intent to distribute the drug.
If U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull accepts the plea, Henry faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $4 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.
Henry and co-defendant James Mack, 29, of Bow Mar, were arrested in Denver in October, after authorities in Montana found six pounds of marijuana and about 6.6 pounds of cocaine that the pair allegedly supplied.
In exchange for Henry’s guilty plea, authorities said they would drop two counts of cocaine distribution that each carried another 10 years minimum in prison.
Henry’s lawyer in Denver, Harvey Steinberg, did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press seeking comment.
Thomas back in coaching.
MIAMI — Isiah Thomas and Florida International agreed on a five-year contract Tuesday — an out-of-nowhere deal that gives the former coach and president of the Knicks a chance to restore the reputation he built as a Hall of Fame player and then tarnished through a series of embarrassments in New York.
“I’m committed to growing something here, and strongly believe that over time we’ll put a team on the floor that everyone at FIU can be proud of,” Thomas said.
• Mike Anderson has signed a seven-year deal to remain Missouri’s men’s basketball coach.
• Top assistant Chris Mack will succeed Sean Miller as Xavier’s head basketball coach, a university spokesman said.
• Connecticut’s Hasheem Thabeet will give up his final year of college eligibility and enter the NBA draft.
The 7-foot-3 center from Tanzania said that he made the decision after speaking to family, friends and coach Jim Calhoun.
The school said Thabeet plans to hire an agent, a move that would eliminate the possibility that he could withdraw his name before June 15 and retain his collegiate eligibility.
• DePaul scoring leader Dar Tucker plans to enter the NBA draft and hire an agent.
Footnotes.
NEW YORK — Fresh from leading unbeaten UConn to the NCAA championship, Geno Auriemma is set to become coach of the U.S. women’s basketball team through the 2012 Olympics.
Auriemma will serve as head coach for the next three years, a person familiar with the hiring told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement had not been made.
• The Los Angeles Sparks have signed guard Betty Lennox.
Lennox was the leading scorer on the Atlanta Dream last season before being waived.
The Associated Press
