NFL’s ‘Pacman’ Jones may have probation revoked after weekend arrest

Clark County prosecutors may seek to revoke the probation of troubled NFL football player Adam "Pacman" Jones and put him behind bars because of his weekend arrest in Cincinnati.

"One of the conditions of his probation was to stay out of trouble," District Attorney David Roger said Monday. "We will monitor the Cincinnati case to determine whether to bring Mr. Jones back for revocation of his probation."

Roger said prosecutors here plan to look at the "seriousness" of the offense in Cincinnati before determining whether to move against him.

Jones, 27, a cornerback with the Cincinnati Bengals, was arrested late Saturday for disorderly conduct while intoxicated and resisting arrest after repeatedly being asked to leave a Cincinnati bar.

News reports in Cincinnati said Jones was yelling profanities, and two police officers were forced to physically restrain him as they applied handcuffs.

Jones, who was wearing a neck brace after surgery because of a football injury last season, denied resisting arrest, according to reports.

His Las Vegas lawyer, Robert Langford, urged the district attorney Monday to move cautiously here.

"I think we ought to wait and see what happens in Cincinnati," Langford said. "Everybody wants to jump to conclusions about Pacman."

Langford said he has "confidence" that Roger in the end will "do the appropriate thing."

District Judge Douglas Herndon sentenced Jones in February to one year at the Clark County Detention Center, but suspended the sentence, for his role in a February 2007 melee at the Minxx strip club that ended with three people being shot.

Jones had served five months of probation before his Cincinnati arrest.

He pleaded no contest in December 2007 to conspiracy to commit disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, after agreeing to testify against the shooter, Arvin Edwards.

Besides staying out of trouble, Jones was ordered under his sentence to perform 200 hours of community service, take an anger management class and submit to random drug tests.

Roger said that because of the pro football lockout, his office has had trouble getting drug results from the NFL, as well as information from the Bengals on whether Jones has completed the anger management class.

"That could be an additional basis for revocation of probation," Roger said.

At the time he was sentenced, Jones told the Review-Journal he was ready to move on with his life. He said he was "trying to do whatever I have to do to never come back to nothing near this situation again. I'm doing the right things. I've got my life in order."

Authorities said the Minxx strip club fracas, which occurred during the NBA All-Star Weekend, was triggered by Jones.

Jones showered strippers with hundreds of dollar bills as they danced. The act, known as "making it rain," was intended as a visual effect. The fight erupted when strippers began grabbing the cash for themselves.

Jones and his entourage were kicked out of the club, and the shootings occurred minutes later.

Three people were wounded, including bouncer Tommy Urbanski, who was paralyzed from the waist down.

Authorities said Edwards later tried to extort money from Jones for "services rendered." But Jones said he never ordered the shooting and refused to pay.

In September, Edwards pleaded guilty via an Alford plea to one count of attempted murder with use of a deadly weapon.

The Alford plea means Edwards didn't admit guilt but acknowledged prosecutors could prove their case against him.

Edwards is set to be sentenced July 21.

Jones' other co-defendant, Robert "Big Rob" Reid, also pleaded no contest to conspiracy to commit disorderly conduct. He is set to be sentenced Aug. 25.

Jones was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2005. After multiple incidents involving law enforcement, including arrests in Las Vegas, Georgia and Tennessee, he was suspended for the 2007 season.

In 2008, after signing with the Dallas Cowboys, he was suspended for six games after a scuffle involving a team bodyguard.

Jones, who also is being sued by the victims of the strip club shooting, had avoided trouble since signing with the Bengals.

Contact Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135 or Francis McCabe at fmccabe@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.