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Chelmer LaJuan Goodson arrested for grand theft and fraud.
By ROGER MILLS
© St. Petersburg Times, published May 25, 2001
TAMPA -- If you think you met Bucs receiver Jacquez Green recently, don't be so sure.
Same with Cedric King, a Gibbs High star and brother of Bucs quarterback Shaun King.
Both athletes learned from local authorities recently that a man apparently had been impersonating them, allegedly defrauding victims.
On April 25, Chelmer LaJuan Goodson, 10008 N 15th St., Tampa, was arrested and charged with grand theft and the fraudulent use of identification.
Goodson, 26, sits in Orient Road Jail having been denied bond by Acting Circuit Judge Walter Heinrich. Neither Goodson nor his attorney could be reached for comment.
"It's incredible," Green, 25, said Thursday. "He was going around telling people he was me and I didn't know him or didn't know anything about him. It's amazing that stuff like this really happens. And people fall for it. You hear about it and people warn you but you can't believe it."
Shaun King said of his brother, a South Florida signee:
"Ced is young and didn't know anything about what went down. This guy just went around saying he was Ced."
According to police reports, between January and May Goodson portrayed himself to women as either Green or Cedric King. He then asked them for money. And some gave it to him.
Goodson, one report said, "borrowed $300 while using the fraudulent name of Cedric King." Another arrest report states that on Feb. 16, Goodson conned another female into giving him $1,800, while posing as Green.
"Each time the person encountered (Goodson), whether via telephone or in person, (Goodson) was identified by the name Jacquez or Quezie Green," the report said.
Green sympathizes with the women but said: "There are people out there who want to be around pro athletes but ask yourself, "Why would I need to be asking for money?' "
Green, a second-round draft pick in 1998 who will make more than $533,000 this season, according to the NFL Players Association, added: "I had to change all my identification and credit cards. It was crazy stuff."
On his criminal record report, Goodson is listed as a black male, 5 feet 11, 160 pounds with light skin. Green is 5-9, 168 pounds and has dark skin. Cedric King is 5-10 and 170 pounds.
"Some people say he looks like me," Green said. "But I don't see the resemblance."
Green said he has seen pictures of Goodson and vaguely recognizes him as "someone I've seen around."
Bucs coach Tony Dungy, whose playing and coaching career spans 23 seasons, said: "It happens quite a bit. The NFL security office has files and files of this going on.
"I had teammates in Pittsburgh, who girls were marrying or getting engaged to thinking they were marrying professional footballers. Then, two weeks before the wedding, they realised they weren't marrying who they thought they were marrying.
"Or people invested money because they thought a certain football player was involved.
"It's very common. ... I think they (NFL security) have about five or 10 cases a year."
Dungy said his Green, Cedric King and anyone associated with high profile athletes should take this situation as a warning.
"People are gullible," Dungy said. "You have to be careful. It's something we stress all the time. Don't always think that everybody is who they say they are. Check everything out. (Green) is fortunate he found out about it. A lot of it goes on and the guys never find out."
-- Staff writer David Karp contributed to this report.