CSUN’s leading basketball scorer Deon Tresvant, basketball coach Bobby Braswell’s son, Jeffrey Braswell, and actor Phannuel Gbewonyo pleaded not guilty Thursday at San Fernando Superior Court to felony charges of theft. A jury trial for the three was scheduled for June 18.
Jeffrey Braswell has been charged with second-degree commercial burglary, three counts of grand theft of personal property and identity theft. On New Year’s Day Braswell, who at the time worked at a Porter Ranch Best Buy, allegedly logged in to a cash register and allowed Tresvant, Gbewonyo, and freshman guard Dallas Rutherford to check out items without paying for them.
Tresvant and Gbewonyo have each been charged with one count of second-degree burglary and one count of grand theft of personal property.
In March Braswell, Tresvant and Gbewonyo’s lawyers argued for the felony charges to be reduced to misdemeanors.
San Fernando Superior Court Judge Sunjay Kumar denied the motion.
‘It was a practice of stealing rather than an isolated event,’ said Kumar.
Rutherford pleaded not guilty in January and was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to complete 200 hours of Caltrans service. Rutherford’s felony count of second-degree commercial burglary was dismissed as part of the plea deal.
Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Stodel said Braswell, Tresvant and Gbewonyo had stolen more than Rutherford and therefore their charges should not be reduced as Rutherford’s had.’
‘Tresvant already owned an Xbox but stole one from Best Buy with the intent to sell it,’ said Stodel.
A pretrial hearing has been set for May 28.