Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas is scheduled to appear in D.C. Superior Court on Friday to plead guilty to gun charges, The Examiner has learned.
Arenas was charged in court papers Thursday with one felony count of carrying a pistol without a license, court papers show.
A top law enforcement source familiar with the case told The Examiner that Arenas has agreed to plead guilty to one felony count of carrying a pistol without a license and four misdemeanor counts of unauthorized use of a weapon.
The court papers were filed in a criminal “information,” an indication that a plea agreement has been reached because prosecutors can only file charges by information when a defendant agrees to waive his right to appear before a grand jury.
Through a spokeswoman, Arenas’ lawyer declined comment.
It’s not clear whether Arenas will face prison time. Prosecutors will await a pre-sentencing report before making a recommendation, the source said.
Arenas is not just fighting to keep out of jail. The NBA has already suspended him indefinitely after he mocked the controversy during a pre-game warm-up in Philadelphia. He’s one of the league’s highest-paid stars, earning more than $16 million this year.
But the alleged gunplay has knocked Arenas from the heights of NBA superstardom. His career is now in jeopardy after a Dec. 21 incident in which he laid out weapons near a teammates’ locker in what Arenas’ claimed was a “misguided” stab at a practical joke.
The Wizards, who have reportedly threaten to void Arenas’ contract, issued a statement Thursday saying team officials were aware of the charges against Arenas but declining further comment.
Arenas’ legal troubling may be winding down, but teammate Javaris Crittenton’s troubles may just be beginning.
Police in Arlington searched Crittenton’s home Thursday as authorities investigate whether he, too, flashed a weapon during the Dec. 21 incident. The Washington Post first reported that Crittenton and Arenas were in a heated argument Dec. 19 over a card game on a team flight and that Crittenton threatened to shoot Arenas. On Dec. 21, Crittenton returned to his locker to see four handguns on a chair with a note stating, “Pick one.”
Crittenton then took out a gun of his own, The Post reported.
Witnesses have told a grand jury that they saw something that looked like a handgun in Crittenton’s hand, a law enforcement source told The Examiner, but authorities aren’t sure whether it was actually a gun.
Crittenton’s lawyer, Peter White, told The Examiner that Thursday’s search didn’t turn up any evidence.
