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  Backstreet Boy Avoids Jail


02-05-02 antiGUY

Nick Carter copped a plea of sorts with the Florida State Attorney�s office. The 22 year-old boyband member was arrested on January 2nd at a Tampa Nightclub after allegedly refusing a police officers order to the leave the club following an altercation (see story). 

The St. Petersburg Times reports that Carter has struck a deal with prosecutors to participate in a �pretrial intervention� program that includes community service, a fine and a probationary �keep out of trouble� agreement. In return, after Carter completes the �program� the charges will be wiped clean from his record. 

Carter could have received up to a year in jail if he had been convicted of resisting or opposing a law-enforcement officer without violence, which is a misdemeanor in Florida. 

After his arrest Carter asserted that the police arrested him because of his celebrity status. "I truly believe my celebrity motivated the officer to arrest me. He said my name aloud during the incident," Carter said in a statement following his arrest. "I am certain that after a full investigation of the facts, my name will be cleared."
 

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