A late-night snack stop at a Davenport 7‑Eleven has landed five D.C.-area teen basketball players and their coach in serious trouble in Polk County, Florida. Deputies say the group swiped less than $40 worth of snacks while in town for a tournament, and that 27-year-old coach Malik Abdul Harvey was later arrested after he allegedly lied to protect two teammates and helped arrange transportation to a vacation rental where no adult was present. The case is already stirring debate over how closely youth travel teams are supervised on the road.
According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, the alleged theft happened around 4:10 a.m. on July 23 at the 7‑Eleven at 3141 Ronald Reagan Parkway in Davenport. Store employees confronted the group, and deputies say the suspects ran off. Investigators later found three of the teens near a nearby vacation rental, with the stolen items tucked into a backpack. The sheriff's office listed the haul as Doritos, gummies, Starburst Minis, a Big Mama sausage, lemonade, and grape and orange Slurpees, for a total loss of $37.60.
Detectives then contacted Harvey, of Bryans Road, Maryland, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said. Investigators say Harvey first claimed he did not know the two remaining youths, then admitted he lied to shield them. Sheriff Grady Judd put it bluntly in the agency's release: "If you steal in Polk County, we're going to send you home with a commemorative mug shot from the Polk County Jail." According to the sheriff's office, Harvey was booked on multiple counts tied to his actions during the investigation.
As reported by FOX 5 DC, each of the teens is charged with conspiracy to commit retail theft, tampering with evidence, petit theft, and violating the county's juvenile curfew ordinance. FOX 5 DC also reports that Harvey faces charges of child neglect, resisting without violence, accessory after the fact, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The outlet noted that Harvey works for the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services and that the department had not returned requests for comment.
Team Was In Orlando For A Tournament
The teens play for Run it Up, an AAU-affiliated travel program that was in Central Florida for the Puma NXTPro tournament, according to FOX 35 Orlando. Deputies say the team was staying at a Solterra Resorts vacation rental less than a mile from the 7‑Eleven when the alleged theft occurred. FOX 35 Orlando reports that another coach, who is the mother of one of the players, helped investigators identify the remaining suspects.
Charges And What They Mean
Authorities classified the alleged offenses by the juveniles as third-degree felonies for conspiracy to commit retail theft and tampering with evidence, along with misdemeanors for petit theft and curfew violations, according to reporting from WWSB / MySuncoast. Harvey's child neglect charge is also a third-degree felony, and prosecutors will determine whether to pursue the cases in juvenile court. Any eventual outcome will hinge on how state juvenile prosecutors move forward and whether the charges are upheld.
For now, officials have released only limited details and have not said whether the team continued in the tournament or forfeited its games. The episode is likely to prompt youth sports organizers and parents to take another look at chaperone rules and guardian oversight for teams traveling with minors.
