College basketball player to serve one year of probation for possessing taser
Alvin "P.J." Boutte
A University of Detroit Mercy basketball player will serve one year of probation for possessing a taser and vodka outside an Ann Arbor bar in October.
Alvin “P.J.” Boutte, a freshman point guard on the Titans’ basketball team, pleaded guilty in December to the charge of possessing a taser and being a minor in possession of alcohol at about 1:25 a.m. Oct. 9 outside of BTB Cantina, 1140 South University Ave.
Boutte was sentenced under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, which means that if he completes his probation successfully he will have the conviction expunged from his criminal record.
“I recognize my actions and I’m willing to do whatever the court says I have to do,” Boutte said at sentencing this week.
Boutte was arrested after an Ann Arbor police officer heard Boutte and a BTB Cantina employee arguing outside the bar. Police said Boutte was walking down some stairs outside the bar, smelled of alcohol and his speech was slurred.
Police said an employee had asked Boutte to leave the bar after he attempted to get in with fake identification. Boutte showed police a student identification card, which stated he was 19 years old, according to police. He did not have a fake identification on him, but police said they found the taser in his left front pants pocket.
As of Wednesday, Boutte was still listed on the current roster for the Titans on the university’s website.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
The Black Stallion3
Sat, Feb 11, 2012 : 11:02 p.m.
Someone from Detroit without a gun?
racerx
Sat, Feb 11, 2012 : 4:53 p.m.
Oh by Gawd! Close the bar down! He had a Taser! And smelled of alcohol! Where is this place? Oh, sorry, on campus. No harm, no foul.
Ann23
Sat, Feb 11, 2012 : 5:24 p.m.
Why?? Because the bar was acting responsibly and removing him? Because they prevented a worse situation like the one that happened at Dream Nite Club? Except, whatever could possibly have happened here wouldn't have been as bad because a taser is not the same as a gun.
RJA
Sat, Feb 11, 2012 : 4:33 p.m.
With probation, hopefully he will get his life turned around. I believe in him, and hope the conviction is expunged from his record. All he has to do now is do what the court expects of him. (like he stated he woud)
djm12652
Sat, Feb 11, 2012 : 3:12 p.m.
How does one get into an institution of higher learning when one appears to be ia complete idiot with criminal tendencies? Oh wait, like any college, sports programs don't require intelligent participants, just the athletically qualified.
Dorchester
Sat, Feb 11, 2012 : 4:02 p.m.
djm.. I agree he may be an idiot. But "criminal tendencies" seems way over the top. There are lots of underage students walking around Ann Arbor with alcohol.
djm12652
Sat, Feb 11, 2012 : 3:14 p.m.
sorry...not "ia" but "a"...need to get my nails cut back...