Crittenton pleads guilty to one count, gets probation in Arenas gun case

Washington Wizards guard Javaris Crittenton brought an unloaded handgun into the team locker room on Dec. 21 “because he legitimately feared for his life,” according to a statement by his attorney that was issued Monday and acknowledged Crittenton’s plea to a misdemeanor count of possession of an unregistered firearm.

Crittenton was sentenced to a year of unsupervised probation after a deal Monday where the NBA player pled guilty to one count of possession of an unregistered firearm. The second misdemeanor charge, attempted carrying a pistol without a license, was agreed to be dropped by prosecutors. Crittenton will do outreach work with young people, per Senior Judge Bruce Beaudin's orders.

The plea deal stemmed from Crittenton's confrontation with Gilbert Arenas in the Wizards locker room at Verizon Center which was sparked by an argument during a card game while on a Dec. 19 plane trip from Phoenix to Washington.

Arenas pleaded guilty to a felony gun charge in the case on Jan. 15, and will be sentenced March 26.

Monday’s statement from Crittenton’s attorney, Peter White, disputed a Washington Post report that during the climax of the Dec. 21 dispute, Crittenton had a loaded weapon and chambered a round.

“The government's proffer of facts to be filed today acknowledges that his handgun was not loaded and that he never threatened anyone with it,” read the statement.

According to a statement of facts provided in the Arenas plea, at some point during their argument on the plane, Crittenton challenged Arenas to fight. Arenas responded that he was too old to fight but could shoot him or burn his Cadillac Escalade.

Two days later, Arenas walked into the team locker room wearing a black backpack on his chest. He pulled out four guns, laid them near Crittenton’s locker and scrawled a note saying, “PICK 1.”

Crittenton walked in, saw the weapons and said, “What’s this?”

Arenas told his teammate that this was Crittenton’s chance to shoot him. Crittenton then picked one of the guns and tossed it across the room. "I don’t need your gun," Crittenton responded. "I've got one of my own.”

Crittenton pulled out what Arenas believed to be a silver-colored handgun, prosecutors said.

Arenas has been suspended indefinitely by the NBA since Jan. 6. Crittenton, who is injured, has not played this season.

An ESPN.com report on Friday said the two players could learn their definitive punishments from the NBA this week.

“With today’s misdemeanor plea to possession of an unregistered firearm, [Crittenton] accepts responsibility for his conduct,” said the statement from Crittenton’s attorney. “He looks forward to explaining his actions to the NBA and returning to the basketball court as soon as possible.”