Former NFL star Michael Vick opted to get a head start on his yet to be determined prison sentence, checking into a Virginia county jail three weeks before he was to be sentenced in connection to dog fighting charges.
Vick surrendered to U.S. marshals Monday—just three days before Thanksgiving—in anticipation of a prison term, according to various reports.
His new home is Northern Neck Regional Jail in Warsaw, Virginia. He’ll be sentenced Dec. 10 on federal dog fighting conspiracy charges. He faces up to five years behind bars.
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According to his Vick‘s attorneys, this is another step towards taking responsibility for his actions and paying his debt to society.
“From the beginning, Mr. Vick has accepted responsibility for his actions, and his self-surrender further demonstrates that acceptance,” attorney Billy Martin says, via pres statement. “Michael wants to again apologize to everyone who has been hurt in this matter, and he thanks all of the people who have offered him and his family prayers and support during this time.”
Despite the five year maximum sentence that could be handed down to Vick, the one time Atlanta Falcons standout is expected to receive anywhere from 12 to 18 months for his role in a dog fighting operation that shocked—and divided—the country.
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While some see this as little more than a Michael Vick public relations move, others are skeptical, saying that the early start of the sentence is a move to get Vick back on the playing field as soon as possible.
“I would think he’s purely thinking about timing as far as when he can get back to his football,”Ronald Bacigel, a University of Richmond law professor told ESPN.
With Vick getting an early start on his sentence, NFL fans could see him back on the field as soon as 2009, unless the NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell decides on a lifetime ban, due to Vick‘s involvement with gambling on the dog fights.
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According to court reports, Vick supplied money for gambling on the fights but did not share in any winnings his associates may have earned. However, any association with gambling is in violation with NFL rules.
Michael Vick will not be the first NFL star tried—and convicted—in recent history. In 2005, Cleveland Browns running back Jamal Lewis—who played for the Baltimore Ravens at the time—served four months after pleading guilty to drug charges stemming from his involvement in a cocaine deal.
