Cheerleader gets court date

Former USU cheerleader Jerome Glover has received a May 13 court date in regards to his arrest with fellow former cheerleader, Richard “Skyler” Nelson, after the two allegedly stole credit cards out of purses at the North Logan Fun Park in March.

Glover and Nelson picked up a couple of unattended purses at the Fun Park and took them into the men’s restroom, where they proceeded to go through the purses, taking things, including credit cards, Sgt. John Italasano, of the North Park Police Department, said. After taking the credit cards, the two men went on “a shopping spree,” spending roughly $1,000 at local stores, including Wal-mart, Italasano said. When the police were called after the girls realized their purses had been gone through, they were able to pull the credit card transactions and then review video surveillance from one of the stores they went to, which is how the two men were eventually recognized, he said.

The police were called to the scene quickly because one of the girls whose credit card was stolen noticed her purse gone while Nelson and Glover were going through it in the restroom, Italasano said. The girl went looking for her purse and when she eventually came back to the place she had left it, the purse had reappeared, so she immediately knew something was wrong, he said.

“Put yourself in the victim’s shoes,” Italasano said. “These girls had their purses gone through and then their credit cards were used by somebody. I find (the crime) extremely brazen.”

After arrest, both Glover and Nelson were kicked off of the cheerleading team because their conduct had been unbecoming a representative of USU, Tiffany Evans, ASUSU adviser said. Information came to the attention of the advisers that there may be some upcoming trouble with the law, and after evaluations of conduct, the decision was made to take them off the team, Evans said.

“It was a clear and cut decision,” Evans said. “There is total expectation to represent the institution with the spirit squad. They may have made a mistake and we are supportive of them and hope they get this taken care of and move on.”

Both Glover and Nelson have been charged with multiple third-degree felonies and a misdemeanor each, Italasano said, a crime which could have been prevented if more stores checked identification when credit cards are used.

“When you use your credit card, how often do they ID?” Italasano said. “My wife has a credit card and I sign my name on it all the time and there are no questions asked when they should.”

To prevent something like this from happening in the future, Italasano said women need to keep their purses with them at all times.

“This was a crime of opportunity,” Italasano said. “They saw the purses lying there with nobody around and so they just took them.”

-debrajoy.h@aggiemail.usu.edu