Jerry the Kid
[Guest post by DRJ]
Some people dream of reliving their childhood. A few just do it:
“A lot of guys dream about going back to high school and recapturing their athletic glory days. A man who went by the name of Jerry Joseph did it, police say, and now he’s in big trouble.
Authorities say the boyish-looking 22-year-old posed as a 16-year-old sophomore phenom to lead the [Odessa] Permian High School basketball team to the state playoffs. He was jailed on fraud charges, and the rabidly competitive West Texas high school that inspired the movie “Friday Night Lights” may have to forfeit its season.
“Everyone just thought he was a big guy,” said Permian senior football player Steven Pipes. “He played the part good, skipping down the hallways acting goofy like a 16-year-old.”
“Jerry” is actually Guerdwich Montimere, a Florida high school graduate who was recognized by some Florida high school coaches at a tournament:
“Joseph was a starter and played center and forward. But suspicions about the player’s identity first arose when three Florida basketball coaches familiar with a former player named Guerdwich Montimere recognized him last month at an amateur tournament in Little Rock, Ark. Montimere, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Haiti, graduated from Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale in 2007.
School officials and immigration authorities initially believed Joseph when he denied the allegations and let him remain enrolled. But school police and immigration agents confirmed Montimere’s identity Tuesday. When confronted, he confessed, said school district spokesman Mike Adkins.”
Joseph was arrested but is free on bail. The local newspaper is mystified how he managed to enroll in public schools, but he enrolled as homeless and with a Haitian birth certificate. Jerry’s church is praying for him and will welcome him back, although the minister may just call him Jerry. His other name is too hard to pronounce.
— DRJ
I saw a Dragnet story like this when I was 11 I think. It’s kind of sad and sweet and sweet at the same time. A lot of us would like to relieve our childhood.
nk (db4a41) — 5/12/2010 @ 5:41 pm*relieve* was not a typo
nk (db4a41) — 5/12/2010 @ 5:44 pmSo I guess you think the police are committing genocide by not letting him attend the school and have access to the children?
Machinist (9780ec) — 5/12/2010 @ 6:15 pmI’d sure like to relieve my childhood, I can tell you that much. But not to relive it. Oh please Lord no.
no one you know (105ce8) — 5/12/2010 @ 6:15 pmfor nk:
“It’s never too late to have a happy childhood.” –Berke Breathed, Bloom County
no one you know (105ce8) — 5/12/2010 @ 6:22 pm“It’s never too late to have a happy childhood.”
The WH proves this each and every day.
AD - RtR/OS! (04f5c9) — 5/12/2010 @ 6:26 pmThere was a Law & Order episode about a 26 year-old who posed as a 16 year-old.
aunursa (2680ce) — 5/12/2010 @ 6:43 pmhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0629418/
I read this article and had a good laugh.
My first year playing professional baseball was 1974 (and last).My roommate I was assigned to, was supposed to be a 22 year old phenom from Australia. He went by the name of Rocky Perone.
After 11 or so games into the season, the front office finally figured out he was actually 38. He was let go. No more Rocky Perone.
I am still waiting for the book he was going to write about baseball and all the injustices.
Wiliam deLorimier
William deLorimier (a89514) — 5/12/2010 @ 9:16 pmWalla Walla Padres
Good story. There’s nothing new under the sun, is there?
DRJ (d43dcd) — 5/12/2010 @ 10:02 pm21 Jumpstreet! (had to be done)
Onus (8b343b) — 5/13/2010 @ 7:31 amI want to know about his grades the second time around.
quasimodo (4af144) — 5/13/2010 @ 7:54 amJerry has now been arrested two more times, including a charge of sexual assault with a 16-year-old.
DRJ (d43dcd) — 5/14/2010 @ 2:48 pm