Ex-Prairie View Coach Pleads Guilty To Charges

HEMPSTEAD, Texas - Former Prairie View A&M coach Haney Catchings pleaded guilty to felony and misdemeanor charges and prosecutors dropped accusations against another former coach connected with an investigation of wrongdoing in the university's athletic department.

Special prosecutor A.M. ``Buddy'' McCaig Jr. said he agreed to a plea bargain with Catchings, who faced a Class A misdemeanor charge of official misconduct and two third-degree felony counts of securing execution of a document by deception.

Catchings, who now coaches at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, was placed on five years probation, fined $500, sentenced to 250 hours of community service and ordered to pay $940.66 in restitution to the school, McCaig said.

McCaig also dropped similar charges against former basketball coach Jim DuPlantier.

The indictments, handed up by a special grand jury last fall, followed a year-old ongoing probe by the Texas Rangers. The indictments allege the defendants made fraudulent reports for reimbursements of travel and meal expenses, among other charges.