Tony Robinson to Serve 90 Days on Cocaine Charges

Former Tennessee quarterback Tony Robinson pleaded no contest Thursday to charges of attempting to commit the felony of delivering cocaine and was ordered to serve 90 days in the Knox County Penal Farm.

Robinson, 22, who helped lead Tennessee to the Southeastern Conference championship last season, had been indicted on multiple charges of conspiracy and sale and delivery of cocaine. He faced a possible sentence of life in prison.

Also pleading no contest was Kenneth (B.B.) Cooper, 23, the former Tennessee fullback who is Robinson’s roommate. Cooper also pleaded no contest to lesser charges and was ordered to serve 150 days in the county penal farm.

A plea of no contest means a defendant accepts punishment but does not admit his guilt to a charge.

The former Volunteers will report to the penal farm Nov. 17. Their trial had been scheduled to begin next week in Knox County Criminal Court.

Robinson and Cooper were charged with selling cocaine to an undercover narcotics detective on several occasions last November, December and January. A Knox County grand jury charged them in a 25-count indictment returned in June.

The athletes were arrested after an alleged sale at their apartment Jan. 8. Knox County Judge Ray Lee Jenkins, during a 20-minute hearing, sentenced Robinson to six years in prison--but with only 90 days in the penal farm and the remainder on probation. Robinson pleaded no contest to three counts of attempting to commit a felony.

Cooper was sentenced to eight years in prison but will serve only 150 days in the penal farm and the rest on probation. He pleaded no contest to four counts of attempting to commit the felony of delivery of cocaine and one count of attempting to commit the felony of sale of the drug.