Former Tennessee offensive lineman Mack Crowder was arrested Tuesday night in Pinellas County, Fla. on five felony charges as part of a child sex sting according to Florida law enforcement.
Crowder, 23, was arrested after he “sought out and engaged in an online sexual conversation with (someone) whom he thought was a 14-year-old female” according to a Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office’s news release.
According to investigators in the Special Victims Unit, Crowder “engaged in an online conversation with whom he believed to be a 14-year-old minor beginning on January 21, 2016.” Throughout the course of several conversations, Crowder sent four sexual photos to the “minor” and “enticed or solicited the minor to engage in sexual acts with him” on several occasions.
On February 16, 2015, Crowder made arrangements to meet with the minor at an undisclosed Pinellas location, at which time deputies took him into custody.
Crowder faces five felony charges, one-count certain use of computer services prohibited and four-counts of transmission of material harmful to a minor.
In 2015, Mack Crowder played in 11 games and started three. Over his career he played in 32 games and started 15 games. Crowder was one of the player representatives for the Vols during SEC Media Days in the summer of 2015. The 2015 season was Crowder’s redshirt senior season with the Vols, making it his last year with the team.
We will continue to monitor this story.
