Gregg Hennigan, CR Gazette –
IOWA CITY – A University of Iowa reserve running back was cited by Coralville police last Friday after allegedly changing the price tag on a shirt to a lower value at a department store.
Marcus A. Binns, 21, faces a charge of fifth-degree theft for the incident at the Dillard’s in Coral Ridge Mall.
Police were called to the store at 6:30 p.m. July 13 after a security officer saw Binns switch tags from one shirt to another, changing the value from $75 to $17.32, according to a criminal complaint.
Coralville police Lt. Shane Kron said Binns had purchased the shirt and was then confronted about changing the price tags.
Binns, of 806 Wylde Green Rd., Iowa City, was not arrested and instead signed the complaint and was released, as is common for such a charge, Kron said.
The complaint says Binns is to appear at the Johnson County Courthouse on Aug. 1.
Fifth-degree theft is a simple misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $625 fine.
Binns, a sophomore walk-on from St. Paul, Minn., did not play in a game last season. He is the younger brother of former Iowa defensive lineman Broderick Binns.
Iowa Sports Information Director Steve Roe said coaches were aware of the incident, would let the legal process play out and Binns would be subject to the school’s student-athlete code of conduct. He declined to comment further.
