Clarett agrees to plead guilty in criminal cases

Monday, September 18th 2006, 12:48 pm

By: News On 6

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) _ Former Ohio State football star Maurice Clarett agreed Monday to plead guilty to aggravated robbery and carrying a concealed weapon. The deal would send him to prison for at least 3 1/2 years and end two criminal cases against him.

The agreement was announced by Judge David Fais on the day jury selection was to begin in a case in which Clarett is accused of holding up two people outside a bar.

The concealed weapon charge was from his August arrest after a highway chase with police who found four loaded guns in Clarett's sport utility vehicle after they spiked the tires. Police used pepper spray to subdue and handcuff Clarett, who was wearing a bulletproof vest.

The deal called for a 7 1/2-year sentence with release possible after 3 1/2 years. The 22-year-old player also agreed to serve five years of probation after the prison sentence.

Clarett said he understood he was pleading guilty and reversing his earlier innocent plea.

``I'd like to apologize for my behavior, and I accept the time that was given to me,'' he said.

After the deal was announced, he looked over at his mother who was sobbing and holding his 8-week-old daughter while sitting next to his girlfriend.