Last Updated on June 14, 2007 5:07 pm by admin
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) -Former Montana State football player Richard Gatewood and his brother, Randy, pleaded not guilty to drug charges Thursday.
The Gatewoods remained in custody after appearing in court on charges of conspiring to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute, and cocaine distribution.
Richard Gatewood is a former wide receiver whose arrest last month was followed by the school’s firing of football coach Mike Kramer. Gatewood’s arrest was the fifth, in less than a year, involving former Montana State football players.
Prosecutors allege Gatewood used money from his athletic scholarship to deal in cocaine transported from California to Bozeman. Randy Gatewood helped his brother by delivering cocaine and collecting money, prosecutors charge. They have estimated the Gatewoods distributed 11 pounds of cocaine between June 2005 and last month.
Conviction on all charges could bring each man a penalty of 10 years to life in prison, a $4 million fine and five years of supervised release.
The Gatewoods lived in Bozeman.