Former UCF Football Star Sentenced To 5 Years For Armed Robbery

A former University of Central Florida football star and Tampa Bay Bucs player, accused of robbing a UCF student at gunpoint, will spend the next five years in prison. Charles Lee, Jr. was sentenced for robbery Thursday morning after pleading guilty.

ARCHIVE:Read Previous Reports On Football Player's Arrest

Charles Lee was stone-faced Thursday as he pled no contest to the robbery charge as part of a negotiated settlement with the state.

Lee was arrested December 5, 2007, a week after he held up two students at Pegasus Landing, an off-campus student housing complex near UCF. Lee stole more than $11,000 in cash from his victims at gunpoint.

Before the robbery, Lee was already on probation for cocaine possession. Judge Jose Rodriguez sentenced Lee to two concurrent five year prison terms, one for the robbery and the other for violating his probation.

"Mr. Lee understands that he has to pay for any wrongdoing that he's done. He's willingly admitted that and he's moving ahead and is going to try to finish college while he is incarcerated," said defense attorney Daniel Holland.

Lee was a star receiver at UCF before being picked up by the Buccaneers and Orlando Predators. He was on the Bucs during their Super Bowl season in 2003 and later sold his Super Bowl ring on eBay.

Charles Lee said "I love you" to a girlfriend before being led out of the court Thursday. When he's released from prison, he'll have to pay back the money he stole.

Previous Stories: May 1, 2008: Former UCF, Tampa Bay Bucs Football Player To Enter Plea In Court April 28, 2008: Trial Postponed For Former UCF Football Star Accused In Robbery December 6, 2007: Former UCF Football Star Charged In Home Invasion