Florida Gators F Christin Mercer charged with conspiracy to commit robbery

Florida Gators sophomore forward Christin Mercer, the women’s basketball team’s most efficient shooter and second-leading scorer at 11.8 points per game, was arrested and released on her own recognizance over the weekend after allegedly taking part in a home invasion and robbery that occurred on May 31, 2013.

According to notarized documents dated Dec. 18, 2013 and obtained Tuesday by OnlyGators.com, Mercer and another co-defendant have been charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, a third-degree felony.

Three of Mercer’s other co-defendants were charged with home invasion robbery with a mask and firearm, a first-degree felony “punishable by imprisonment for a term of years not exceeding life imprisonment,” according to Florida law 812.135.2a.

The documents include an official statement from State Attorney William Cervone and a signature of approval from prosecutor George Wright, affirming that Mercer and one of the four other co-defendants cooperated with investigators and provided information under oath.

The police report, also obtained Tuesday by OnlyGators.com, lists Mercer as an unnamed female who was the alleged getaway driver for the home invasion.

The robbers that entered the residence allegedly stole marijuana and a cell phone but also demanded money from the victims.

Police identified Mercer after reviewing the phone records of one of the defendants.

According to the police report, Mercer “confessed to driving the three defendants to the [victim’s] apartment to commit the robbery.”

A source tells OnlyGators.com that Mercer was offered – and is expected to accept – a plea deal for the reduced conspiracy charge. She could otherwise be handed the more serious of the two charges.

As long as Mercer continues to cooperate with investigators and provides truthful sworn testimony under oath, she will likely escape this incident with punishments of monitoring and probation – no jail time.

She will be arraigned on Jan. 30.

Mercer was announced as indefinitely suspended from the Gators women’s basketball program on Monday with no timetable to return after not playing in Sunday’s game, a 82-68 blowout loss to No. 12 LSU.

She has come off the bench 12 times this season to average 11.8 points and 5.8 boards in 21.3 minutes, helping Florida prevail in consecutive games against ranked opponents last week. Mercer scored 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting in an 83-73 win over No. 6 Kentucky last Sunday and posted 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting in a 59-52 win over No. 25 Arkansas on Thursday.