Fresno State Basketball Player Named In Subpoena

Basketball player Chris Herren is named in a federal subpoena issued as part of the FBI’s investigation into possible point-shaving by Fresno State players.

The subpoena, released by city officials Thursday, requires the Fresno Police Department to turn over records of any pawn shop transaction involving Herren, the leading scorer for Fresno State in the season just ended.

A Fresno police official, who asked not to be identified, said Thursday he had determined that the department has no pawn shop records pertaining to Herren.

California pawn brokers are required to report all pawn transactions to local police agencies. The subpoena seeks records reported by United Loan & Jewelry pawn shop, owned by Dan Jelladian, 23. Jelladian has said he is a friend of Fresno car salesman and suspected sports bettor Kirk Vartanian, who has been a focus of the point-shaving investigation.

Vartanian, 27, has repeatedly denied any involvement in point shaving or illegal gambling.

Jelladian told The Fresno Bee this week that Herren had visited his shop twice in the past three months. He said he showed Herren some valuable merchandise but did not sell him anything.

Jelladian said Thursday he did not know about his records being subpoenaed and would not answer questions about Herren.

The basketball player said Thursday he did not know anything about the subpoena and has had no transactions with Jelladian.

“I’m not worried about the subpoena,” he said. “I never did anything with him.”

Herren said authorities had not contacted him. He declined to answer other questions.

While Herren talked to a reporter at his apartment, he was also consulting over the phone with his lawyer, Mike Karagozian. Karagozian also represents former Fresno State player Dominick Young, who also is believed to figure in the FBI probe.

“I guarantee there is no record of any transaction by Herren with Jelladian,” Karagozian said, adding that Herren has never received any “gifts of merchandise” from Jelladian.

Karagozian said his investigator has looked into the relationship between Herren and Jelladian and concluded nothing improper had taken place.

“This kid is clean,” Karagozian said.

The subpoena was issued by a federal grand jury March 12. Its existence was disclosed Tuesday by Fresno Deputy City Attorney Larry Donaldson. Donaldson refused to make the document public then.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Scripps-McClatchy Western Service