Federal probe involving LSU's Perrilloux

[Cianne]

Good thing the oblivious Les Miles has an oral committment from Jarrett Lee this year because it might just be Matt Flynn on the roster come next season.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/featured/5154047.html

Federal probe involves Perrilloux

By ADRIAN ANGELETTE AND CARL DUBOIS
Advocate staff writers
Published: Jan 11, 2007

LSU quarterback Ryan Perrilloux is involved in a federal criminal investigation, and Baton Rouge lawyer Nathan Fisher has been hired to represent the reserve quarterback.

A New Orleans radio station is reporting that federal authorities in New Orleans are investigating Perrilloux. Fisher said he is Perrilloux’s attorney and that he could not comment about the nature of the investigation, but could only confirm that the investigation is taking place.

Perrilloux has not been booked on any charges, Fisher said. Fisher also said he is unaware of any pending hearings or other court actions scheduled to take place in connection with the investigation.

“I don’t think it would be appropriate at this time to comment any further,” Fisher said late Wednesday afternoon.

At a news conference Wednesday announcing quarterback JaMarcus Russell’s intention to turn pro, LSU football coach Les Miles said he had no information about the investigation surrounding Perrilloux.

“I have no information there whatsoever. You’re giving me information. You’d have to elaborate at your leisure. I know nothing about what you’re talking about,” Miles said. “I do not know if he’s in any trouble whatsoever. I talk to my players almost weekly—a lot of guys.”

At that point, LSU sports information director Michael Bonnette ended the 15-minute news conference without accepting any further questions.

Herb Vincent, senior associate athletic director, declined to comment, referring all comments to federal authorities. Athletic Director Skip Bertman could not be reached.

Every major college football program in the country began recruiting Perrilloux early in his career at East St. John High School in Reserve. He signed a scholarship agreement with LSU in February 2005, ending one of the most highly publicized recruiting stories in the country that year.

He set a Louisiana high school record in 2004 with 5,006 yards of total offense as a senior after orally committing to the University of Texas Longhorns. Perrilloux reaffirmed his commitment in interviews until the day he signed with LSU.

Perrilloux raised eyebrows by predicting he would win the starting quarterback job at LSU in 2005 as a freshman — ahead of Russell and Matt Flynn.

Instead, Russell won the starting job and Perrilloux “redshirted” in 2005, which means he did not play that season. He played as a redshirt freshman in 2006, participating briefly in the late stages of five games and completing one of four passes for 10 yards.

He rushed three times for 13 yards.

Perrilloux turned 20 on New Year’s Day. LSU lists him as 6 feet 3 inches tall, 222 pounds. He also played baseball and basketball in high school, and scouts and coaches said he would have been a top prospect in those sports had he not made it clear he planned to play football.

USA Today named him the National Offensive Player of the Year his senior season at East St. John, and every major recruiting publication gave him a maximum five-star rating.

He was a Parade All-American, the Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year and a player in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, an all-star game for high school seniors.

[goallthewayua]

And the charge is.........

counterfeiting with possibly more LSU players implicated. This could be really bad.


I thought LSU payed their players enough that they didn't have to make their own money.


Joke,



Kind of

[TigerFanatic]

last i heard there was no charge as of yet. he's apart of an investigation, not the focus of it. there's a matchstick putting off some smoke, people are trying to make a brushfire out of it

[WallyGoat]

last i heard there was no charge as of yet. he's apart of an investigation, not the focus of it. there's a matchstick putting off some smoke, people are trying to make a brushfire out of it

I agree. Just let it play out. If Ryan is found guilty, I guess LSU has no choice but to move on. IMHO, this says nothing negative about the school or the rest of the team not involved.

So, LSU fans, from a fan who is used to taking flack for the Logan Young ordeal, don't let it get to you. If RP is found innocent, the fans should just put it all behind them and support him. If he's guilty, then on with the show, I suppose.

FWIW, he hasn't been charged yet, so it may not even reach the point where he'll have to be declared guilty or not guilty.

[Cianne]

We can still poke fun at his inability to operate a motor vehicle correctly though!

[WallyGoat]

We can still poke fun at his inability to operate a motor vehicle correctly though!

No doubt! Of course, JPW got busted with a DUI not to long ago...so, I'll keep it to a minimum. :laugh:

[GeauxTo]

Here's the latest...

Times-Pic has story on Perrilloux
The Times-Picayune reports today that LSU quarterback Ryan Perrilloux has talked to federal investigators, but his name has not been listed in any federal court papers. Larry Dauterive, who was Perrilloux's high school football coach at East St. John High School, says he understands the heralded player has been cleared of any direct participation in criminal activity. Dauterive says LSU football Coach Les Miles said if Perrilloux had been implicated "he'd be gone." Read the story here. (http://www.nola.com/sports/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-28/1168501546110410.xml&coll=1)

[GeauxTo]

BATON ROUGE - The federal criminal investigation that includes LSU reserve quarterback Ryan Perrilloux is focused on counterfeiting in the LaPlace area and is ongoing, a St. John Parish Sheriff's office spokesman said Thursday.

"It is a joint investigation by the Secret Service and our office," said Mike Tregre, a public information officer for the St. John Parish Sheriff's office. "The FBI is also involved. It is still being actively investigated even as we speak."

Perrilloux, a redshirt freshman at LSU, is from LaPlace, which is 25 miles west of New Orleans in St. John Parish. He became the top recruited quarterback in the nation while playing from 2001-04 at East St. John High, which is five miles from La Place in Reserve.

The U.S. Secret Service, which has an office in New Orleans, operates within the U.S. Treasury Department and among its chief duties is stopping counterfeiting.

"They handle financial investigations - money," Tregre said.

FBI spokesperson Sheila Thorne in New Orleans referred questions about Perrilloux to the Secret Service office in New Orleans, which did not return calls.

"We're not looking at that," Thorne said when asked about Perrilloux. "That would be the Secret Service office."

Tregre and East St. John High football coach Larry Dauterive said federal investigators interviewed Perrilloux at the St. John's Sherriff's office for about two hours late last week after LSU beat Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 3. Dauterive said the interview was about a rejected $20 bill at a convenience store in LaPlace last November.

Perrilloux's cellular phone was not receiving calls on Thursday.

Dauterive said he spoke to Baton Rouge attorney Nathan Fisher, who is representing Perrilloux, on Thursday, and Fisher said Perrilloux is not the only person in the La Place area under federal investigation.

"Fisher said, 'Oh no, it's not just Ryan,'" Dauterive said.

Fisher has not returned calls to his office and home.

Dauterive said he had not heard of any other LSU football players involved in the investigation.

"I just don't believe Ryan would be involved in something like this," Dauterive said. "Everybody knew JaMarcus was going pro after this season. Ryan was telling me all season that next season would be his chance. Something like this could ruin his career if it's true."

LSU starting quarterback JaMarcus Russell announced on Wednesday at a press conference that he was leaving school a year early so he could enter the NFL draft. LSU coach Les Miles said at the same press conference that Perrilloux and Flynn would compete for the starting job with Russell gone.

"I know he wouldn't do something like this with that on the horizon," Dauterive said.

While at LSU, Perrilloux has not been in any trouble with the law other than traffic tickets.

Miles said at that press conference that he knew nothing of Perrilloux's involvement in any investigation.

But Dauterive said he spoke to Miles early this week about the fact that Perrilloux was interviewed by federal officials last week.

"I talked to Les about it on Tuesday," Dauterive said. "We talked about how he had been interviewed. We both felt that Ryan was in the clear."


©Gannett Louisiana Newspapers
January 12, 2007