WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Washington Wizards three-time All-Star guard Gilbert Arenas was spared a jail term on Friday, getting two years’ probation for bringing guns into the team’s locker room.
In handing down the sentence, the judge showed leniency to Arenas, who pleaded guilty on Jan. 15 to felony weapons possession for bringing four guns into the National Basketball Association team’s Verizon Center locker room.
Superior Court Judge Robert Morin said Arenas as part of the sentence must also spend 30 days in a half-way house, perform 400 hours of community service and pay $5,000 to a fund for victims of violent crimes.
Prosecutors, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Kavanaugh, had recommended that Arenas, 28, get three months’ incarceration, three years of probation and be required to do 300 hours of community service.
The judge said that Arenas had surrendered his guns, had cooperated with authorities, had accepted responsibility, had shown genuine remorse, and was basically a “decent person” who had performed acts of charity and kindness to strangers.
Arenas, wearing a dark suit and tie while showing no emotion, stood before the judge and spoke in a halting voice in admitting that his acts were “stupid and irresponsible.”
“I am very sorry that this all happened,” he said during the 90-minute sentencing hearing in the crowded courtroom that included his friends and spectators.
Under a plea deal, prosecutors had agreed not to seek more than six months in jail for Arenas. But Morin was not bound by the agreement and could have sentenced Arenas to as much as five years in prison.