Two water polo players arrested for burglaries

By Johanna Mitchell

Two Santa Clara water polo players were arrested on March 17 on suspicion of stealing four iPods, three laptops and three to four wallets with credit cards from fellow students, then selling some of the items on Craigslist, authorities said.

Thomas Hendrickson, 20, and William Gorin, 21, have been charged with two counts of felony first degree burglary, and buying, receiving, concealing or withholding stolen property, said Amy Cornell, a Santa Clara County District Attorney's spokeswoman.

Hendrickson was given an additional burglary charge, Cornell said.

The maximum penalties the two men could face if convicted are eight years, eight months for Hendrickson and seven years, four months for Gorin, Cornell said.

Both have been released from Santa Clara County jail on $25,000 bail. Hendrickson and Gorin pled not guilty at their March 20 arraignment, Cornell said.

Hendrickson and Gorin, both juniors, were arrested in connection with burglary reports from three separate Santa Clara students on the weekend of March 15, said Lt. Mike Sellers, a Santa Clara police spokesman.

The first theft occurred in the early morning on Saturday, March 15, when police allege Hendrickson and Gorin stole items from inside an unlocked bedroom during a house party on Panelli Place in the Alviso Properties.

Sellers said that Hendrickson and Gorin returned to the apartment complex and unlocked the door with a key they had found hidden under the doormat.

Gorin and Hendrickson then entered the residence and stole property while the victims were sleeping, police said.

Another Bellomy Street apartment in the same complex was also robbed.

On Monday, detectives were notified that a victim, who was a Santa Clara student, had located his stolen property for sale on Craigslist.

A detective posed as a potential buyer and arranged to meet Hendrickson at a predetermined location, where the officer arrested Hendrickson at approximately 5:30 p.m. for possession of stolen property, Sellers said.

Gorin was also identified as being involved in the thefts after a thorough investigation, police said.

All of the victims' property was recovered and returned, Sellers said.

The two student-athletes have been suspended indefinitely from the men's water polo team, said Athletic Director Dan Coonan.

Water polo Head Coach Mike Wilbur declined to comment for this story.

In addition to the potential criminal charges, the students may face disciplinary action through the university for student conduct code violations.

The university judicial process has been initiated, said Vice Provost for Student Life Jeanne Rosenberger, but it still may be several weeks before the investigation has run its full course and a final decision is reached.

Rosenberger said the results of a university disciplinary proceeding would be confidential, due to FERPA privacy restrictions.

In the meantime, Hendrickson and Gorin are attending classes.

A call to their lawyer on Wednesday was not returned.

The pair's next court date is April 14 at the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice in San Jose.

Contact Johanna Mitchell at (408) 554-4546 or jjmitchell@scu.edu.