Emoni Batesa former high school star who transferred from Memphis to eastern Michigan this summer, was arrested Sunday night regarding two miles from campus in Superior Township, Michigan, following officers discovered a firearm in a vehicle he was driving.
Derrick Jackson, the public information officer for Superior Township, told ESPN that officers “initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle that did not stop” at an intersection.
Bates was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and “tampering with the identifying marks” on a firearm. He was arraigned Monday and his attorney, Steve Haney, has asked that he plead not guilty.
According to Haney, the judge agreed to a nonmonetary personal recognizance bond for Bates to be immediately released from jail. Bates’ next court date is scheduled for Oct. 6.
Haney told ESPN that Sunday night’s arrest came following a routine traffic stop when Bates was driving a borrowed car that had a gun. “There’s a lot more to the story. He borrowed someone’s car, got pulled over, and a gun was found in the car.”
Under Michigan’s penal code, a person charged with carrying a concealed weapon can face imprisonment “not to exceed 5 years” and a fine of up to $2,500. The charge of altering identification on a weapon carries a penalty of up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000.
Michigan released a statement Monday followingnoon announcing that Bates would be suspended.
Bates, a 6-foot-9 power forward, was considered one of the elite prospects in the country throughout his high school career, ranking No. 1 in the class of 2022 until he reclassified last summer. and finished at #3 in 2021.
WXYZ in Detroit initially reported Bates’ arrest.
ESPN’s Jeff Borzello contributed to this story.
