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Jonthan Holton’s past may halt enrollment at West Virginia

Jonathan Holton

PROVIDENCE JOURNAL FILES / GLENN OSMUNDSON

A few days ago, West Virginia received a commitment from former Rhode Island standout Jonthan Holton, who spent this past season at Palm Beach State (Fla.) College. But a few issues may have to be fleshed out before his pledge to the Mountaineers is validated.

Holton, if you may remember, was charged with two felony counts of video voyeurism after he was alleged to have filmed two separate sexual encounters with two different woman without their consent, then posted it on his Facebook page. He was arrested in March 2012 and since then, the incidents have not yet been fully resolved.

Two days after that arrest, Holton was arrested and charged with one felony count of possession of stolen goods after having had a stolen laptop in his residence.

According to the Charleston Daily Mail, for the 6-9, 220-pound Holton to be able to suit up in Morgantown, the legal issues have to be figured out.
A person familiar with the situation told the Charleston Daily Mail Sunday that Holton’s scholarship offer would only be honored if his legal issues are resolved.

In the last hour, Holton has signed a grant-in-aid agreement, binding WVU to him, but apparently, the premise still stands. If Holton wants to be a part of coach Bob Huggins 2013 recruiting class, he’ll have to finish off his legal dealings and deal with whatever ramifications come with it. Also, it appears that’s not Holton’s only other issue. His junior college coach said that he has basic some academic issues to face before enrolling at West Virginia.

Having said that, Butch Estes, Holton’s coach at Palm Beach State in 2012-13, said Holton has some work to do to be eligible at WVU. “It will go into the summer,” he said.

This is basically handing in assignments and finishing classes and making sure the associate degree is secured. But graduating in time for the 2013-14 season has always been the goal for Holton, so it’s not like they’re improvising here.


In his one season at Rhode Island, Holton averaged 10.2 points and 8.1 rebounds for the Rams. He averaged 17.4 points and an insane 14.1 rebounds last season for Palm Beach State.

Follow David Harten on Twitter at @David_Harten