A day after Roy Lassiter’s gamewinning goal rallied the United States from a three-goal deficit to defeat Saudi Arabia 4-3 in Washington, D.C., a North Carolina judge sentenced him to a month in jail.
Lassiter, who also had an assist in the Saudi game, went to court on Oct. 9 to answer felony charges of breaking and entering, larceny and forgery that dated back to 1992. He was sentenced to a 10-year suspended prison term and must spend 30 days in jail over the next nine months, in addition to 200 hours of community service.
Wake County Superior Court Judge Donald Stephens said Lassiter must live in Raleigh when he is not playing soccer until his community service is completed. He said he wanted to fashion a punishment for Lassiter that would not destroy his future. He also ordered him to pay $500 restitution and a $1,600 court fine.
“He is extremely remorseful,” defense attorney Spurgeon Fields told the Associated Press after the trial. “He has never denied doing this. It was just one of those things where he knew he had done wrong, but had changed his way of life and wanted to get this behind him.”
Lassiter could not be reached for comment, but he did make a statement after the Saudi game.
“I have faith and confidence in the Lord that he’ll take care of what might happen to me,” the 26-year-old forward said. “I just want to go and tell my side of the story to the judge.”
Lassiter admitted all along to his involvement in all but the felony charges and had pleaded guilty to hope for a fine and perhaps probation.
“Back then, there was nothing to do but get into trouble,” Lassiter explained of the period right after graduation from N.C. State, when his parents divorced and he had a broken ankle. “I got involved with some activities of friends that I shouldn’t have gotten involved in.”
Added Fields, “He felt like his career was over and he didn’t realize there were other things he could do with his life.”
Lassiter, who recently became a born-again Christian, said: “Now playing in Costa Rica for three years, having a family and raising a son — I am a different person.”
U.S. coach Steve Sampson agreed: “I never even talked to Roy Lassiter about his off-the-field problems. As far as I’m concerned, he’s been a model citizen with this national team.”
Lassiter was arrested and freed on $5,000 bail after a Raleigh police detective read about him scoring the winning goal over Benfica in the recent Parmalat Cup. He compounded his troubles when he failed to show up for his first court date on Sept. 27.
Lassiter had a previous brush with the law in 1990 when he pleaded guilty to misdemeanors for breaking and entering, larceny and credit card fraud in Avery County, N.C. Then he was also fined and ordered to play restitution.
by Soccer America correspondent Jerry Hawkins