CLEVELAND –Tony Farmer, one of the most highly recruited basketball players in Ohio, collapsed in court on Tuesday after receiving a three-year prison sentence.
Farmer plead guilty to charges of robbery, assault, kidnapping and intimidation of the victim, related to an April incident where he confronted his ex-girlfriend, Andrea Lane. The crimes took place at her home near Rockside Road.
As Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Pamela Barker announced Farmer’s sentence he collapsed in court. 18-year-old Farmer remained on the ground for a short time before being pulled to his feet by Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Deputies.
According to Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason’s office, Farmer can file for judicial release once he becomes eligible after 180 days.
In a odd twist, the victim provided an impact statement on Farmer’s behalf prior to his sentencing. Despite Lane’s plea to keep Farmer from going to prison, Barker handed down the sentence.
Farmer, who was set to be a senior at Garfield Heights High School, stands 6’7” tall and weighs 220 pounds. He was named Second Team All-Ohio for the 2011-12 season by the Associated Press.
He is widely considered one of the top 100 basketball players in the class of 2013, and according to Yahoo! Sports Rivals.com, was being recruited by several major college programs, including Michigan State, Illinois and Xavier.
(Fox 8 News’ Nicholas Kovach contributed to this report.)
