Half of Tabor team nabbed in drug case
College, police mum about arrests, athletes’ status
Staff writer
Six Tabor basketball team members were arrested April 21 on suspicion of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
What will happen next regarding their status on the team is unknown.
The six are:
- Emir J. Carter, 20, a sophomore guard from New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Mark C. Emmanuel, 24, a senior forward from Champaign, Illinois.
- Taylor D. Hightower, 20, a sophomore guard from Little Elm, Texas.
- Andre D. Nelson, 23, a senior guard from Jacksonville, Florida.
- Bobby I. Shanks, 23, a sophomore guard from Halls, Tennessee.
- Montel T. Stewart, 22, a senior guard from Palm Bay, Florida.
Hillsboro police apparently want to keep information about the arrests to themselves. Hillsboro police officer John Huebert said information about the arrest was included in the department’s weekly report. The report lists “traffic enforcement,” “speed citation,” “drug investigation,” and “process evidence,” which might be related to the incident, but makes no mention of any arrests.
Huebert said the department would make no further comment.
Radio transmissions monitored by the newspaper indicate that Huebert stopped a 2019 Ford, rented from Hertz, at 12:53 a.m. on 190th Rd. west of the Hillsboro airport. No reason for the stop was given.
The stop appears to have been listed on department’s weekly report as has having occurred late the night before on D St., which is 190th Rd. outside the city limits.
Minutes later, Huebert told dispatchers he had detained five suspects. He requested assistance from two sheriff’s deputies, each of whom transported two prisoners 50 minutes after the initial stop.
Huebert transported the remaining two after waiting an additional 20 minutes for a wrecker to remove their vehicle.
During the delay in transporting the prisoners, dispatchers radioed the officers several times to check on their well-being.
The only driver’s license Huebert checked during this period was Shanks’s.
Despite persistent rumors, transmissions contained no evidence that any of the suspects had attempted to flee.
Tabor spokesman Adam Suderman also had little to say.
“We are aware of the situation and that situation is being handled internally,” Suderman said. “We are not going to comment on any individual on the team at this time.”
Asked about college policy regarding athletes being arrested on drug charges, Suderman still had little to say.
“Those policies are determined by the presidential staff,” Suderman said. “They will not be making any comment at this time.”
Athletic director Marty Ziesemer and head basketball coach Micah Ratzlaff did not respond to messages asking them to call.
Carter, Emmanuel, Nelson, and Shanks were starters for Tabor, and Stewart typically was the first or second player off the bench.