New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte will not face charges after being charged with illegal online gambling, which authorities say occurred while he was a minor playing football at LSU.
According to First Assistant District Attorney Tracey Barbera, the decision was made in part because the trustee completed a “gambling awareness” program.
Barbera also made it clear that Boutte did not bet against himself or his team, and that his behavior was not the cause of other people’s financial losses.
“Betting against himself would be the only way to verify the bet,” Barbera told The Associated Press. “He can guarantee a dropped ball, but he can’t guarantee a reception or a touchdown.”
In addition to the anti-gambling program, Boutte has agreed to a ban on gambling on the online sites FanDuel and BET99 in the state of Massachusetts.
New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (80) will not be charged with gambling
Boutte has already completed a ‘gambling awareness’ program
“Given his mitigation efforts, we believe a felony prosecution is not appropriate,” said Barbera, who also praised the Louisiana State Police investigation that led to the charges.
Despite no charges, the NFL could still decide to suspend or fine Boutte. It is unclear whether the league will pursue this action.
“We have been monitoring the developments in the case, which remains under investigation,” the NFL said in a statement Tuesday through league spokesman Brian McCarthy. “He will be able to continue to participate in all team activities.”
The Patriots declined to comment on Tuesday’s developments.
Boutte was arrested in January after state police said he created an online betting account under a false name and placed thousands of illegal bets.
That includes 17 college football games — six with LSU. He also bet on himself in one game.
These bets violated state law prohibiting the placing of bets by a “prohibited player.”
Boutte is originally from New Iberia, Louisiana and graduated from Westgate High School. He spent three years in Baton Rouge as a wide receiver, playing in 27 games and starting 21 of them.
Boutte was accused of placing thousands of bets under a false name account at LSU
Boutte was selected by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft as the 187th player.
In his first season, he barely played on the field, appearing in only five games and catching two passes for 19 yards.
Boutte is expected to face a tough challenge to earn a spot on the Patriots’ roster when training camp begins next week.
Boutte was present during New England’s off-season work program earlier this year.
New coach Jerod Mayo said in May that they wanted to wait and see whether the league would make a further decision on Boutte’s case.
“Right now he’s here. We’re waiting to hear from the league, but he’s here,” Mayo said. “He’s doing a good job for us.”