Former Ohio State football player Tracy Sprinkle pleaded no contest to a reduced charge and had one felony charge dismissed Thursday in a Lorain County court, according to multiple reports.
Sprinkle was originally charged with rioting, failure to disperse, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of cocaine after an early morning fight July 5 outside a Lorain, Ohio, bar. The reduced charge is for failure to comply.
According to the reports, Sprinkle received a 30-day suspended sentence in addition to a $500 fine and two years of probation. The felony charge for possession of cocaine was dropped.
Sprinkle sent a tweet from his Twitter handle, @TSprinkle93, Thursday evening that read: “I thank everyone for the love, support, and prayers at one of the lowest moments in my life.. May God bless you all!”
The Elyria High School graduate was initially kicked off the team July 6, but according to an OSU spokesman, coach Urban Meyer would evaluate that status after Sprinkle’s legal issues were resolved. Meyer reiterated that statement Monday at the Big Ten Media Days in Chicago.
“Tracy Sprinkle is no longer with the program, and I will readdress it if there’s some changes,” Meyer said. “That’s all I know. That’s the way we handle our situations.”
An OSU spokesman said in an email he did not have any further information regarding Sprinkle’s status with the team Friday morning.
Sprinkle did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
