Man Chooses Prison over Cooperating in LSU Memorabilia-Trafficking Case

Police are looking for answers in a case involving the sale of game-worn LSU football equipment on eBay, but recently ran into a wall when the seller refused to cooperate. 

The Advocate’s Ben Wallace (h/t Dr. Saturday’s Nick Bromberg) reports that Fletcher Sanders, 25, was contacted by LSU police regarding his involvement in selling a small collection of apparel worn during the 2014 college football season.

According to the police report, officers were interested in Sanders' role in peddling a pair of cleats and gloves allegedly worn during LSU’s 10-7 win over Ole Miss in October. Moreover, authorities wanted to know which player slipped Sanders the memorabilia on the market. 

Sanders, a Baton Rouge shoe store employee, was told he’d be arrested if he didn’t divulge his source’s identity. He doesn’t care. He’s not giving up his guy.

“Do what you have to do,” Sanders responded, according to the police report. “I am not going to be responsible for ruining someone’s career.”

True to their word, police brought Sanders into the station at East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and booked him for being a principal to theft and the possession of stolen things. “Theft” and “stolen” are the operative words here, as the university “leases” gear to players, who are not allowed to sell or give it away.

Sanders was released Tuesday upon posting $3,000 bail, according to Wallace.

This is a fairly atypical development as far as recent memorabilia scandals go. The sporting world saw multiple college football memorabilia brokers roll over on their student-athlete suppliers over the last two years. No one stayed mum when the police came knocking.

That this shoe store employee would stand strong and do his time for the team…well, Wee-Bey would be proud. 

In any case, we’ll wait and see how Sanders' case plays out. Ironically, it may turn out that once again, the powers in charge of protecting and serving student-athletes think a couple of crusty cleats and gloves are worth wrecking a kid’s life.

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