Ex-FSU Player Accused Of Betting

TALLAHASSEE -- Former Florida State quarterback Adrian McPherson was charged with one misdemeanor count of gambling, including on games in which he played.

McPherson, 19, who started four games for Florida State last season, placed bets over the Internet on college and pro games during the 2002 football season, the school said Tuesday.

He bet on every Seminoles game last season, always wagering that they would win, according to Florida State police chief Carey Drayton. Sources told investigators McPherson bet large amounts and owed a Tallahassee man, identified as Dereck Delach, a total of $8,000, police said.

Delach and Florida State football team equipment manager Jeffrey Inderhees were charged Tuesday with one felony count of bookmaking. Drayton said no other charges are expected.

McPherson was kicked off Florida State's team in November, after police said he was connected to the theft of a blank check later cashed for $3,500.

Bob Minnix, Florida State's associate athletic director for compliance, said the school does not expect to receive any sanctions from the NCAA because of McPherson's alleged betting.

McPherson's whereabouts were not immediately known Tuesday, although he was in his home area of Bradenton on Monday.

Inderhees was in Tallahassee on Tuesday and was expected to turn himself in to Tallahassee police, Drayton said. Delach was in Pennsylvania, according to authorities.

The charges result from a three-month investigation by the university, Tallahassee police and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Drayton said Inderhees told investigators that he and McPherson placed bets on collegiate and professional basketball games as early as January 2002.

Several other sources told investigators they were present when McPherson placed bets and Inderhees was often the contact with Delach, who then placed bets on the Internet for McPherson.

Delach had eight or nine regular customers, according to the police report. His laptop was seized Dec. 11, 2002, and its contents included gambling-related data, Drayton said.

Bill Saum, the NCAA's Director of Agent, Gambling and Amateurism Activities, said the NCAA has worked with Florida State officials for many months regarding the gambling allegations and have found no wrongdoing on the school's part.

"Florida State is not at risk in this situation unless someone knew this was taking place," Saum said. "To date, there's no evidence there that anyone did know or should have known this was going on."

The charges come a day after McPherson, who is living in Bradenton, was in a one-car accident near Apollo Beach. He was not seriously injured in the crash after his Ford Expedition blew a tire and flipped several times.