UNLV athlete sentenced in theft

A UNLV football player accused of stealing hundreds of dollars in merchandise from a store at the Forum Shops was sentenced to probation Monday by District Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez.

Channing Trotter was an employee of the Abercrombie & Fitch store in the mall connected to Caesars Palace on the Strip and allowed some of his fellow UNLV athletes to take items from the store without paying for them.

Sporting a mohawk, Trotter, apologized Monday to the court and to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

He had pleaded guilty to attempted theft earlier this month. He could have received up to four years in prison or a fine of $5,000.

Prosecutor Eric Jorgenson said Trotter paid $1,337 in restitution at the time of his plea.

Trotter's lawyer, Daniel Albregts, said the sophomore, who was suspended from practicing with the team this spring and summer and lost his scholarship for the summer, has suffered enough embarrassment over the incident.

In addition to a community service requirement of 150 hours mandated by UNLV, Trotter had to apologize to the entire football team. He also was suspended from playing the first three games of the season, although he has been allowed to practice with the team this fall, Albregts said.

Trotter could play on special teams against Utah on Saturday, UNLV coach Mike Sanford said.

A reserve tailback, Trotter signed with UNLV in 2005 out of Red Mountain High School in Mesa, Ariz., but did not enroll until January 2006. He redshirted last season, meaning that he sat out to retain four years of eligibility.

Trotter declined to speak to the Review-Journal.

Review-Journal sportswriter Mark Anderson contributed to this report.