Shoplifting is a relatively minor infraction in the United States, but not so in China. It could lead to a long prison sentence, according to multiple outlets — and that could be bad news for the three UCLA men's basketball players reportedly accused of committing the crime Tuesday in Shanghai.
Bruins freshmen LiAngelo Ball, Jalen Hill and Cody Riley could be sentenced to three to 10 years if convicted of "robbing public or private property using force, coercion or other methods," according to Yahoo! Sports' Dan Wetzel, citing the website for the Chinese mission to the United Nations.
The trio were detained Tuesday after allegedly shoplifting from a Louis Vuitton store next to the hotel where UCLA is staying ahead of its season opener Friday against Georgia Tech. The most notable of the players is Ball, the younger brother of former UCLA star (and current Los Angeles Lakers rookie) Lonzo Ball and son of LaVar Ball.
LaVar Ball, who had planned a press conference but canceled it on the advice of his legal counsel, released the following statement:
"It is a very unfortunate situation that the Ball Family, and UCLA has to deal with at this particular time. We will comment shortly," he said, per ESPN's Arash Markazi.
William Nee, a Hong Kong-based researcher for Amnesty International, told Wetzel that those detained for crimes in China could "be detained for more than a month without American-style bail before local prosecutors even decide whether to press charges." Nee added that the United States consulate could intervene to try and negotiate a quicker resolution to the case.
Nee added that the charges could also be greatly reduced and thus warrant a much more lenient sentence.
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