4 TCU football players caught up in a drug sting

4 TCU football players could be in some hot water soon. Yahoo News reports:

An early morning drug bust at TCU has led to the arrest of 17 students of the Fort Worth college.

The school said the arrests were part of an investigation into students selling drugs, not just possession.

TCU Chancellor Victor Boschini said the arrests were made in conjunction between the TCU and Fort Worth Police departments early Wednesday morning.

TCU Police Chief Steve McGee said the students were considered drug dealers, selling cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana and prescription drugs to undercover officers both on and off campus.

The investigation began 6 months ago.

The university says the arrests were at both on and off campus locations, including at fraternity housing.

McGee said the students were parts of multiple loosely tied groups.

Four current members of the Horned Frog football team were arrested:

Defensive Tackle David Yendry
Strong Safety Devin Johnson
Offensive Tackle Ty Horn
Linebacker Tanner Wilson Brock

The other students who were arrested are:

21-year-old Bud Dillard
26-year-old Austin Carpenter
19-year-old Cynthia Zambrano
21-year-old Earl Burke
19-year-old Jonathan Blake Jones
21-year-old Eduardo Hernandez
24-year-old Hunter McLaughlin
20-year-old Katherine Petrie
21-year-old Matthew Davis
20-year-old Michael King
21-year-old Peter Signavong
19-year-old Richard Putney
20-year-old Scott Anderson
20-year-old Taylor Codwin
20-year-old William Jennings

School athletics officials commented on the involvement of football players. “We have an excellent athletics program at TCU, and an indicator of that excellence is the fact that we will not tolerate criminal conduct among our student-athletes,” said Chris Del Conte, director of intercollegiate athletics. “Our student-athletes are a microcosm of society and, unfortunately, that means some of our players reflect a culture that glorifies drugs and drug use. That mindset is not reflected by TCU, nor will it be allowed within athletics.”

Football coach Gary Patterson echoed Del Conte’s statements. “Under my watch, drugs and drug use by TCU’s student-athletes will not be tolerated by me or any member of my coaching staff,” Patterson said. “I believe strongly that young people’s lives are more important than wins and losses.”

The school says the investigation is ongoing, and there could be more arrests.

“This is the start of it. I think this is a very clear message to everyone in this community that we’re not going to tolerate it. And that we’re out in front of it before something terrible happens,” Boschini told reporters.

The university said any student who was arrested and found in violation of distributing drugs could be expelled. Currently, the students have been ‘separated’ from the school, meaning they are not allowed to attend classes, and those that live on campus cannot access their room.