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Fats Thomas, felon linked to P.J. Hairston’s rental cars, gets a plea deal

North Carolina v Kansas

KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 24: P.J. Hairston #15 of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks on dejected as he returns to the bench in the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks during the third round of the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Sprint Center on March 24, 2013 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

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Fats Thomas, a convicted felon linked to the rental cars that North Carolina’s P.J. Hairston was driving this sumer, has accepted a plea deal for an arrest from last November.

Thomas received 36 months of supervised probation in the deal, was given a suspended sentence of 23-to-47 months and will be forced to do 100 hours of community service within the next year.

The charges he plead guilty to? Possession of a firearm by a felon, drug possession with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. A fourth charge was dismissed.

Thomas’ name and/or address was used to rent cars that Hairston was pulled over in back in May and June. In May, Hairston was caught speeding in a 2012 Camaro. A month later, he was arrested after being stopped in a 2013 GMC Yukon and charged with possession of marijuana with two other men.

Hairston was suspended indefinitely from the Tar Heels in late-July when he was cited for reckless driving, going 93 mph in a 65 mph zone. He was driving the car of a female friend.

Hairston has yet to play this season as he waits for the NCAA to rule on his eligibility stemming from the rental car case.

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