ATHENS – Legal troubles will follow former Georgia football player Demetris Robertson to Auburn.
The sixth-year senior from Savannah, who has been in the transfer portal since early June, announced Thursday that he intends to transfer to Auburn. However, unless his case gets resolved in Henry County Superior Court before he arrives, Robertson will join the Tigers still facing felony charges.
Megan Matteucci, assistant district attorney in Henry County, confirmed Thursday that Robertson remains charged with interference with government property, a felony, and the case continues to be investigated, pending a grand jury review.
“It’s under investigation by our office,” Matteucci said.
The felony charges stem from an incident in early February in which Robertson’s 2017 Dodge Charger was “booted” by UGA Parking officials for illegally parking in an East Campus deck. Robertson is accused of removing the booted tire from his vehicle and then having the wheel clamp removed at a location in Henry County.
Robertson faced a misdemeanor theft charge in Athens-Clarke County for stealing the boot. However, that case was dismissed in May after Robertson paid restitution for the $725 piece of equipment, according to court records.
With the felony portion of the case unresolved, it is unclear whether Robertson even could have played for the Bulldogs had he chosen to remain in Athens. According to UGA’s Student-Athlete Handbook, a player facing a felony charge of any kind automatically is suspended from competition pending an independent review by the athletic association’s “comprehensive action plan committee.” That panel, consisting of the senior women’s administrator, senior associate athletic directors and a faculty athletics rep, is charged with recommending action to the athletic director.
Georgia Athletic Director Josh Brooks is on vacation this week, and UGA officials contacted Thursday could not say if or when that group deliberated over Robertson’s case.
Meanwhile, Robertson recently found himself in more trouble in Henry County. On June 28, he pleaded no contest to charges of speeding, reckless driving and failure to maintain. He received 12 months probation and was fined $1,420 in Henry County State Court.
It was not immediately known if Auburn has a similar policy regarding athletes facing or being convicted of felony charges. Depending on the outcome of his case, Robertson otherwise will be in position to play against Georgia on Oct. 9 when the teams meet at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
At UGA, Robertson’s play on the field never reached the expectations. While he was a regular in the receiver rotation the past three seasons, he caught only 12 passes for 110 yards last season and leaves Athens having totaled 42 receptions for 443 yards and only three touchdowns. He also had 10 rushes for 161 yards and one touchdown in his Georgia career.
A 5-star prospect out of Savannah Christian High School, Robertson signed with California over Georgia in 2016. He was named a freshman All-American for the Bears after catching 50 passes for 767 yards and seven touchdowns. He was injured as a sophomore, then transferred to Georgia.
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