Lilly Casolaro
News Editor
Michael Shipma
Sports Editor
Two men have been arrested in connection to an on-campus burglary that took place on the day of the Troy versus Akron football game on Sept. 23.
The Troy Police Department arrested Quendarius Jackson, 18, for his involvement in burglarizing a student’s dorm room and stealing electronic devices.
Jackson was booked at the Pike County Jail on Oct. 16 on a charge of burglary to the third degree and is now out on $3,500 bond, according to the Pike County Sheriff’s Office.
According to Alabama Criminal Code Section 13A-7-7, burglary to the third degree involves knowingly entering or remaining unlawfully in a dwelling or an occupied or unoccupied building with the intent to commit a crime therein.
The Troy University Police Department obtained warrants for the arrests of four men involved in the on-campus burglary.
According to University Police Chief John McCall, all four males were questioned, but only two were arrested.
“We always knew it was four males, but originally we could not identify the fourth one,” McCall said. “Now we know it was Adam Dowdell of Alabaster, who I think was arrested in Jefferson County.”
At the time of this publication, Dowdell’s arrest report could not be located.
Other suspects identified by Troy University Police Department include Aaron Boatright and Lorenzo Dantzler, who were on campus as potential football recruits and both current football players for East Mississippi Community College.
According to McCall, any offers that were on the table for Boatright and Dantzler to play at Troy were revoked because of their alleged connection with criminal activity.
Santiago Pinzon, assistant director of athletics and compliance director, said there is an important difference between an official and unofficial university visit, but he cannot disclose which type of visit these players were on.
“An official visit is a visit that is financed by the institution,” Pinzon said. “In other words, we invite you, we pay for your expenses — it’s a maximum of 48 hours — and there are rules that vary depending on the sports.
“For football and basketball, we can pay for the transportation of the prospect and his parents — the other, we can only pay for the transportation of the prospect.”
He said the primary role of the compliance office is adhering to NCAA rules and regulations, not bringing people to campus.
Pinzon said it is more difficult to keep track of potential recruits who come to campus for “unofficial visits.”
“Whenever we (the athletics department) offer scholarships, we do try to do our background checks, and we go online and check their names to see if something raises a red flag,” Pinzon said. “But during unofficial visits, someone may come randomly.
“It’s just like someone coming to the admissions office and saying, ‘I’m interested in Troy.’ You’re not going to throw them away immediately or ask them if they’re engaging in any criminal activity.”
According to David Rosinski, director of sports information at East Mississippi Community College, he has no knowledge of Boatright’s or Dantzler’s involvement with the burglary.
Randall Bradberry, director of the athletics department at East Mississippi Community College, has been contacted but has not provided a statement at the time of this publication.
McCall said that this incident does not positively or negatively affect Troy’s campus safety.
“If anything, this opens up the students’ eyes that they need to keep their property secure and their dorm rooms locked,” McCall said.
The suspects did not break into the residence hall because it was a Saturday Trojan Day visit; yet, the door to the burglarized room was left unlocked, providing easier access for the items to be stolen.
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