Gambling charges against Patriots Wide Receiver Kayshon Boutte have been dropped by the state of Louisiana, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss.
The charges stemmed from Boutte's time at Louisiana State University, where he starred as a wide receiver.
He was arrested in January over allegations of illegal sports betting. Boutte allegedly used an alias to bet on sports from April 6, 2022, to May 7, 2023. The account placed more than 8,900 wagers with 17 bets on NCAA football and six involving LSU while Boutte was on the football team, according to the police report.
He booked himself into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison in January on charges of computer fraud — a felony — and a misdemeanor count of gaming prohibited for persons under 21. He was booked and then bailed out on $6,000 bond.
LSU released the following statement at the time of the arrest:
“In July 2023, LSU was made aware of allegations regarding a former student-athlete’s improper conduct related to sports gambling while enrolled at the University. Since then, we have fully cooperated with all relevant authorities involved in the investigation and will continue to do so. We have no evidence that any other student-athletes participated in these prohibited activities, and we are grateful for measures that detect and discourage sports gambling related misconduct.”
It's unclear at this time why the charges were dropped.
Boutte was a full participant in spring practices after the arrest. Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo said they would "wait to hear from the league going forward" on Boutte's status.
The former sixth-round selection was expected to battle for a roster spot during training camp.
