MU's Tarpoff is dismissed after a guilty plea in court

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Missouri defensive end Nick Tarpoff was dismissed from the football team Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to felony possession of an illegal weapon.

By pleading guilty to the felony charge, Tarpoff faces up to seven years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000.

He rejected earlier plea bargains offering 90 days in jail plus probation in exchange for guilty pleas to misdemeanor charges of filing a false police report and transferring a concealable firearm without a permit. Under those agreements, Tarpoff could have faced one year in jail if he broke probation.

During Tarpoff's sentencing Sept. 8, Boone County Circuit Judge Gene Hamilton could give Tarpoff probation plus a suspended sentence. If Tarpoff completed his probation, the conviction would remain sealed.

"We are hoping that he'll be able to avoid any conviction on his record," Rusty Antel, Tarpoff's attorney, told the Columbia Tribune.

Tarpoff has no previous convictions, which could help him get a lighter sentence, said Dan Knight, an assistant Boone County prosecutor.

"He's rolling the dice to a certain extent on the felony," Knight said.

"He knew what he would have gotten on the misdemeanors."

University guidelines prohibit convicted felons from playing sports at Missouri.

The Tigers suspended Tarpoff indefinitely after he was charged in February. Antel said Tarpoff plans to pursue playing football at another school.

On Feb. 19, Tarpoff claimed he was shot by an intruder who was trying to steal a television set from his Columbia home. The next day, police said, Tarpoff recanted the story and acknowledged shooting himself in the arm. Authorities said they found an illegal sawed-off shotgun in the house, which led to the weapons charge.