Printed in the Toronto Sun
A group of Philadelphia teenagers accused of stealing from a Dick’s Sporting Goods store in Florida have been publicly identified.
The eight teens, members of the United Thoroughbreds football team, were in Davenport, Fla., to face the Coco Tigers in the Prolifix Sportz National Championship.
But Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd mocked the players-turned-alleged thieves in a press conference for missing the big game.
“I don’t know if these were starters or not, but we were finishers,” Judd said Monday.
The youths didn’t make it out of the store before they were arrested on Saturday morning.
During the press conference, Judd not only named the teens, who were between the ages of 14 and 15, but he also held up a board with photos of Daimon Johnson, Elijah Myers, Ibm-Mahdee Abdul-Haqq, Jacob Smith, Marcus Hudgens, Mark Bryan, Tymir Smith and Tymir Speller.
Their plan wasn’t exactly fool-proof
The sheriff noted how in a systematic manner, they allegedlycleaned out the store by splitting into two groups.
One teen would purchase an item legitimately while the others browsed the shelves and racks over what products they would snatch.
The buyer would then meet the others afterward and hand over the Dick’s bag to use to sneak stolen items out of the store, authorities claimed.
The surveillance footage, which store employees watched as the alleged thefts unfolded, according to police.
“They stole, and they stole, and they stole,” the sheriff said, showing a list of the items that were allegedly taken.
What Gov. DeSantis had to say
“Not only did they steal, but ostensibly they may have cost their team the championship.”
The boys’ coach arrived and begged to get them “out of it instead of holding them accountable,” to no avail.
They picked the wrong state — and the wrong county. https://t.co/NexPk1Zvux
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) December 9, 2025
Gov. Ron DeSantis even chimed in and shared footage from Judd’s press conference.
“They picked the wrong state — and the wrong county,” he wrote in the caption.
The championship game was held hours after the arrests — as the teen suspects were at a juvenile detention center.
None of the boys had prior criminal records, but now face two felonies each — retail theft over $750 and conspiracy to commit retail theft.
The suspects, who returned to Philadelphia after their team lost the championship 26-6 without them, will have to travel back to Florida to face charges.
“They let the team down. What about the rest of the kids on the team?” the sheriff continued.
“If you don’t steal, we’re your new best friends. If you steal, we’re your worst enemy.”
Judd added: “Merry Christmas.”
As Nelson Muntz might remark…. HA HA!!