NFL -- Former Asu Qb Plummer Charged With Sexual Assault

PHOENIX - Jake Plummer, who led Arizona State to the Rose Bowl before being drafted by the Arizona Cardinals, has been charged on four felony counts of sexual abuse stemming from an incident in a nightclub.

The charges were announced yesterday by Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley, who has said a settlement Plummer reached with three accusers didn't free him from prosecution.

The alleged incident occurred last March at Club Rio in suburban Tempe.Three women claimed Plummer reached under their clothes while they danced. Last week, the women reached a civil settlement with Plummer and said they didn't want to pursue criminal charges. Romley said that an alleged fourth victim came forward later and made similar allegations against Plummer.

Plummer also was charged with one count of misdemeanor assault. If convicted on all charges, he would face more than eight years in prison.

Leigh Steinberg, his agent, released a statement in which Plummer said he expects to be exonerated.

"Once the truth is heard, I fully expect my name to be cleared," Plummer said.

The player's first court appearance was scheduled for June 10.

Notes

-- Jeff Cothran, a fullback for the Bengals, spent a night in jail, facing a felony theft charge. Aaron's Rental Purchase claimed Cothran refused to return or pay for $2,100 worth of furniture he rented last October. Hal Arenstain, Cothran's attorney, said payments have been made.

-- The Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers have posted the highest annual profit in the 78-year history of the team. The NFL's only publicly held team reported a profit of $5,877,061 for fiscal year 1997, which ended March 31.

-- Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts, told fans in an ad in The Indianapolis Star that the team would not move. He joined Mayor Stephen Goldsmith in appealing to state lawmakers to agree to a deal to keep the NFL team in town.