Oklahoma Quarterback Arrested by FBI : Thompson Accused of Selling Cocaine to Undercover Agent

FBI agents arrested Oklahoma quarterback Charles Thompson Monday night on a complaint of allegedly selling cocaine to an undercover agent, authorities said.

FBI spokesman Dan Vogel said Thompson was arrested in Norman, Okla., on a federal complaint that he allegedly sold 17 grams of cocaine for $1,400 to an undercover agent Jan. 26.

Thompson will appear before a U.S. magistrate today, Vogel said.

Thompson was escorted from the Oklahoma County Courthouse to the jail elevator. He had no comment.

Earlier Monday, Oklahoma Coach Barry Switzer suspended Thompson from the football team, making him the fifth player to be suspended since the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. placed the Sooners on three years’ probation in December for recruiting violations.

Switzer said he had suspended Thompson and was moving him out of the athletic dormitory pending an investigation and would not comment further.

“I’m shocked, just like everyone else,” said John Underwood, assistant athletic director.

Underwood said he learned of the arrest about 10 p.m. CST from the television news.

“Barry had made a statement this afternoon (about the suspension), but I’m not always privy to a lot of that information. I’m just shocked and saddened,” Underwood said.

Switzer, Athletic Director Donnie Duncan and interim President David Swank could not be reached for comment.

U.S. Attorney Bill Price said Thompson’s arrest culminated a six-month investigation. Thompson faces up to 20 years in prison and $1 million in fines if he is convicted, Price said.

Since the NCAA placed Oklahoma on probation, the football program has been plagued by unrelated incidents that have resulted in five suspensions.

Starting cornerback Jerry Parks was suspended when he was charged with shooting with intent to injure teammate Zarak Peters Jan. 13 in an athletic dorm. Parks is home in Texas awaiting his preliminary hearing, and is not enrolled in school.

Last Friday, Nigel Clay, Bernard Hall and Glenn Bell were suspended from the university for two years when they were charged with first-degree rape stemming from a Jan. 21 complaint at the athletic dorm.

When Switzer was asked if it was a difficult decision to suspend Thompson, who took over for Jamelle Holieway midway through last season, he said: “No, not at all.”

Thompson, a sophomore, took over at Oklahoma as a redshirt freshman when Holieway suffered a season-ending knee injury in 1987.

Thompson guided Oklahoma to a 17-13 victory over Missouri, then rushed for 126 yards against Nebraska to give Oklahoma the No. 1 ranking heading into the Orange Bowl against No. 2 Miami. The Hurricanes won, 20-14.

Holieway returned as the starter in 1988, but had lost a step from his injury, and he and Thompson shared the position through the first four games.

Against Texas, Holieway slightly injured his ankle in the first quarter, and Thompson replaced him for good, leading Oklahoma to a Big Eight Conference title showdown against Nebraska.

The Cornhuskers won, 7-3, and Thompson broke his leg on the last play of the game, forcing him to miss the Citrus Bowl.