Mar 20, 2019 4 min read

Patriots owner Kraft offered plea deal

Florida prosecutors have offered a plea deal to New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and other men charged with paying for illicit sex at a massage parlor.

The Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office confirmed Tuesday it has offered Kraft and 24 other men charged with soliciting prostitution the standard diversion program offered to first-time offenders. The men must concede they would be found guilty, perform 100 hours community service and attend a class on prostitution’s dangers and how it perpetuates human trafficking, spokesman Mike Edmondson said. They must also be tested for sexually transmitted diseases and pay a court fee of $5,000 per count. Kraft, 77, was charged with two counts last month.

In return, the charges of misdemeanor soliciting prostitution would be dropped. Edmondson said none have accepted so far. By accepting, the men might also avoid having to appear in court, Edmondson said. That would be negotiated.

Kraft’s attorney Jack Goldberger did not immediately return a call seeking comment, and Patriots spokesman Stacey James refused comment. If Kraft refuses the deal, he would be put on trial and, if found guilty, face a possible year in jail, although that would be unlikely. He has pleaded not guilty.

B

altimore sues to block move of Preakness

Baltimore has ratcheted up a bitter dispute with the owners of a historic racetrack in an effort to seize a nearly 150-year-old course and block the move of one of America’s premier horse races out of the city where it was first run in 1873.

Under state law, the Preakness Stakes – the middle jewel of the Triple Crown of thoroughbred horse racing – can be moved to another track in Maryland “only as a result of a disaster or emergency.” But the Canada-based development company that owns and operates the rundown Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore has made it abundantly clear that it wants to move the storied race out of the city.

A lawsuit freshly filed by Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh, the City Council and three residents claims that the Canada-based development company that owns the track is “openly planning to violate Maryland law by moving the Preakness to a different racetrack despite the absence of any disaster or emergency, except for the disaster that they are in the process of creating.”

The Stronach Group is looking at a fresher track it owns in Laurel Park – about 30 milessouth of the Baltimore facility – as a better option for the Preakness. It has only pledged to keep the Preakness at the Baltimore track through 2020.

In the NBA

Rookie Collin Sexton scored 25 points, Jordan Clarkson added 23 and the Cleveland Cavaliers delayed Milwaukee from clinching the Central Division on Wednesday night with a 107-102 win over the bruised Bucks.

• Evan Fournier scored 22 points and Aaron Gordon added 20 and the Orlando Magic routed the New Orleans Pelicans, 119-96.

In the NHL

John Tavares and Austin Matthews each had a goal and assist, and the Toronto Maple Leafs won for just the second time in six games, beating the Buffalo Sabres 4-2 Wednesday night.

College baseball

Right fielder Michael Zito drove in four runs and designated hitter James Artale was 3-for-3 as Washington & Jefferson used a 15-hit attack to beat Muskingum 15-5 in a non-conference game.

Winning pitcher Tanner Gaerke allowed one run over five innings as the Presidents improved their record to 5-7.

• Penn State Behrend swept a non-conference doubleheader from Waynesburg, 8-3 and 12-5.