Point-Shaver Convicted

A former student team manager compromised the integrity of college sports by engineering a point-shaving scheme that backfired, a prosecutor said after winning a conviction.

Kelly Hunter, 27, was accused of approaching three starters and a reserve player for Central Florida to hold down the scoring so favored Stanford would win by more than the 15-point betting spread.

A 12-member federal jury deliberated 3 1/2 hours before convicting Hunter of attempting to influence the outcome of a sporting contest by bribery in the Red Lobster Classic invitational game in Orlando on Dec. 29, 1990.

Hunter, now an Army private stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine at sentencing Sept. 7.

Defense attorney Michael Smith expressed disappointment with the verdict and promised an appeal.

“With all the serious crime out there, for the government to investigate this case and spend our taxpayers’ money to litigate is nonsense,” he said.