Alabama freshman forward Devonta Pollard has been arraigned due to his involvement in a kidnapping plot along with six other people, including his mother, who is believed to have masterminded the crime. Wanda Dancy, Shamarius Ruffin, Shaquayla Johnigan, Joyce Johnigan, and James Johniga, were indicted along with the young forward, and each is facing up to six years in jail.
The mother, Jessie Mae Pollard, allegedly involved her son in a plan to kidnap six-year-old Jashayla Hopson, the daughter of a neighbor with whom she was having a land dispute. She has been arraigned separately and is facing life imprisonment. According to reports, she is currently having her mental state evaluated in a facility outside Mississippi.
Pollard has been released on $10,000 bond and has a trial date set for August 6th. Pollard's alleged involvement is prior knowledge of his mother's plan to perpetrate the kidnapping, providing a wrench and screwdriver to the kidnappers, and giving a ride to fellow conspirator Ruffin. Ruffin, her baby and the kidnapped Hopson were then checked into a motel by Pollard.
The group led by Jessie Mae was attempting to extort $50,000 from Hopson's mother; although they botched the attempt to get the money, Jashayla was left unharmed.
Pollard, who stands at six feet eight inches and 200 lbs., was not a high-impact player for Alabama during his freshman season. He played 17.9 minutes a night, averaging 3.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Despite his size, Pollard shot just 37 percent from the field in his lone season.
Pollard was leaving Alabama to enroll in East Mississippi Community College, according to his legal representative Lisa Ross, who maintained the young player's innocence. "We intend to defend him vigorously," Ross said. "Of course he's concerned about his future, athletics aside. He's concerned about his liberty."
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