Ex-Tennessee staffer Spognardi receives judicial diversion

Posted February 12, 2018 6:00 am

The Associated Press

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Former Tennessee director of football operations Chris Spognardi has received judicial diversion that eventually could enable the criminal misconduct charge against him to be expunged.

Spognardi received one year of judicial diversion Friday after pleading guilty Dec. 14 to official misconduct. He worked at Tennessee the first three seasons of former coach Butch Jones' tenure. His responsibilities included managing cash expenditures for team trips. The charge against Spognardi involved fabricating receipts from those trips.

Spognardi has paid over $14,000 restitution to make up for money that was unaccounted for. If he maintains good citizenship throughout the next year, the case can be expunged.

Spognardi was placed on paid administrative leave in August 2016. He was fired later that year for what former athletic director Dave Hart termed as "gross misconduct."

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