(cache) Tony Fein Arrested -- Nfl FanHouse

NFL Rookie Arrested, Profiling Alleged

Posted Aug 24, 2009 12:08 AM

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BALTIMORE (Aug. 24) -- The arrest of Baltimore Ravens rookie and Iraq war veteran Tony Fein at a restaurant in the Inner Harbor tourist district was the result of police profiling, the linebacker's agent said Monday.

Fein was charged Sunday with the misdemeanor assault of an officer who confronted him after a security guard thought he saw Fein pass a handgun to a friend at a Harborplace restaurant counter, said police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. The item was a cell phone.

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Sports Figures in Trouble With the Law

Tony Fein, Aug. 23: The Baltimore Ravens rookie was arrested and charged Sunday with assaulting a police officer. Fein was confronted after a security officer thought he saw him pass a handgun to a friend at a restaurant, but it turned out to be a cell phone. Click through to see more sports figures who ran into trouble with the law.

Rob Carr, AP

Athletes in Trouble With the Law

Rob Carr, AP

Aug. 21: Titans wide receiver Chris Davis was charged with a DUI after being being pulled over Friday morning.

Aug. 15: Kurt Angle, an Olympic gold medalist and heavyweight champion for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, was arrested on charges of possessing human growth hormone and violating an order of protection.

Frazer Harrison, Getty Images

Aug. 11: Former football star Lawrence Phillips, pictured here with the Dolphins in 1998, was convicted of assault and other charges. Phillips already was serving a 10-year sentence for hitting three teenagers with his car in Los Angeles.

AFP / Getty Images

Aug. 9: Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane was charged with attacking a cab driver in his hometown. According to the police report, the driver said he was hit because he did not have 20 cents in change to give Kane and his cousin.

Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images

Aug. 5 Defensive end Juqua Parker was arrested on a marijuana possession charge near the Philadelphia Eagles' training camp.

Aug. 2: Roger Mayweather, the uncle and trainer of Floyd Mayweather Jr., faces felony coercion and battery charges.

Tom Shaw, Getty Images

July 16: The Phoenix Mercury suspended Diana Taurasi for two games after she was cited on drunk-driving related charges. Taurasi was also cited for speeding during the incident on July 2.

Nathaniel S. Butler, NBAE / Getty Images

July 14: Former Brazilian soccer star Romario was arrested for allegedly failing to make child support payments.

Ricardo Moraes, AP

July 15: Former NFL running back Travis Henry Henry was sentenced to three years in federal prison for financing a drug trafficking operation.

Doug Pensinger, Getty Images

"Tony's never owned a weapon in his life,'' agent Milton Dee Hobbs said. "That weapon was a cell phone.''

Hobbs said police approached Fein because he was a black man wearing a sweatsuit with a hood.

Guglielmi disputed the claim that this was a case of racial profiling.

"It doesn't matter if you're black, white, green or blue, if you push an officer, you're going to get arrested.'' Guglielmi said. "He can take concerns up with the judge.''

Baltimore police recently stepped up security at the Inner Harbor, a major tourism draw for the city, after a shooting at the same building a week earlier.

When police questioned Fein, 27, he became belligerent and shoved the officer, Guglielmi said.

According to a police report, Sgt. Joseph Donato loudly told Fein: "Stand up, turn around and keep your hands where I can see them.'' Fein reacted by pushing Donato with one hand while turning around from the restaurant counter, police said.

Donato was knocked to the ground and hurt his right elbow, the report said. Donato grabbed Fein by his "F Troop, 9th Cavalry, Ft. Hood, Texas'' sweatshirt, forced him to the ground and he and other officers handcuffed him, the report stated. Fein was not injured, police said.

The police report noted the officer was concerned about "a recent shooting at this pavilion'' and that Fein's sweatshirt "did not seem weather-appropriate.''

Hobbs said it was the officer who was aggressive and that Fein didn't shove him.

"Tony's a good kid,'' Hobbs said. "He's not going to disrespect an officer.''

Hobbs said Fein has not been arrested before and Maryland's courts database does not have any record of previous arrests or charges against Fein. The police department's internal affairs unit does not have any sustained complaints against Donato on file, Guglielmi said.

Fein was released about 1 a.m. Monday and slept at a downtown hotel with the rest of the team, something the team does the night before a game, according to Kevin Byrne, the team's senior vice president of public and community relations. The Ravens were to host the New York Jets on Monday in a preseason game.

"Like all citizens, Tony will get his due process and have his opportunity to explain,'' Byrne said in a statement. "There are two sides to every story.''

Fein served in the Army for more than three years before playing college ball. In two seasons at Ole Miss, he had 136 tackles (77 solo) in 24 games, according to the Ravens Web site. Fein was signed as a free agent in June following a minicamp tryout.

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2009-08-24 12:35:29