CLEVELAND, Ohio — Former St. Vincent-St. Mary High School and University of Akron basketball star Romeo Travis was sentenced to probation Wednesday for altering his income on official documents to avoid paying taxes and child support.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Boyko ordered Travis, 40, to pay $424,000 in restitution to the IRS and to Travis’ daughter, who is now 18. Boyko also ordered him to serve three years of probation.
Travis said during the hearing that he grew from the experience of being under federal investigation for five years, changed the members of his inner circle and looked forward to repairing his relationship with his daughter.
“There’s no amount of money I wouldn’t pay to have my daughter back,” Travis said as his voice cracked.
After the sentence, Travis hugged the dozen family members and friends who showed up to the hearing, including former high school and college teammate Dru Joyce III, who recently was named Duquesne University’s head coach of the men’s basketball team.
Eleven people sent letters to Boyko offering insight into Travis’ character. All were sealed from the public.
Defense attorney Marisa Darden argued for probation, noting Travis’ history of being a caring father and his acceptance of responsibility.
She also drew parallels between Travis, who played professional basketball from 2007 to 2021, and her father, former Cleveland Browns great Thom Darden.
“I understand how difficult life can be for professional athletes,” Darden said. “There’s a different cadence to life, and you have to rely on folks around you for advice on a lot of things.”
Prosecutors said Travis and his then-agent from 2013 to 2018 changed the true amount of money he made during a decorated overseas basketball career, including some years where he said he made more than $100,000 less than he actually did.
The altered contracts were used to facilitate his underpayment of $374,977 in federal taxes and $49,099 in child support to the mother of his daughter, prosecutors said.
He previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the government. The agent was not charged with a crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Miller acknowledged that Travis relied on someone he trusted, but she said he still had ultimate responsibility. She also said it left his daughter and daughter’s mother “devastated.”
“Mr. Travis at the time was on the rise. He had everything going for him,” Miller said. “Yet, Mr. Travis just wanted more money and to keep as much as he could during that time.”
Travis rose to prominence playing on three state championship teams led by LeBron James at St. Vincent-St. Mary from 2000-2003. A documentary and a feature film have been made about that team.
He went on to play for the University of Akron, where he became the school’s first-ever Division I player to be named to the Associated Press’ prestigious All-American team. His number 24 is retired and hangs in the rafters at James A. Rhodes Arena.
Travis currently owns a house rehabilitation company. Darden said during the hearing that Travis has offers to coach overseas.
Adam Ferrise covers federal courts at cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. You can find his work here.