Prosecutors have offered former Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez a plea bargain in his shoplifting case.
Gonzalez is accused of stealing a $1,395 men’s satchel June 29 at the Polo Ralph Lauren store at the Mall at Short Hills (N.J.).
“The judge asked the prosecutor to put the plea offer on the record,” Katherine Carter, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office spokesman, said by email. “We are offering him 4th degree criminal mischief which would result in probation. He has applied for Pretrial Intervention, a diversionary program that would result in the charges being dropped after he meets certain conditions. Meanwhile the case is going to the grand jury.”
Gonzalez was initially freed without bail after pleading not guilty of shoplifting and criminal mischief. Those charges carry a penalty of up to five years in prison.
Gonzalez is hoping for a comeback in the NBA or on TV.
“I’ve got some NBA stuff going on,” the former Seton Hall coach told The New York Times.
“Or I might be in TV for a year or two. Let the smoke clear. I may get back in college someday, but I’ll wait a while.”
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