Police say man stole money posing as TE

**ViKing24** · 08-26-2006, 08:47 AM

Associated Press
Posted: 8 hours ago

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A man charged with impersonating Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to get dates was accused of stealing $3,200 from a different woman by telling her he was another player on the team, tight end Jerame Tuman.

Brian Jackson was charged with theft by deception for borrowing the money and not repaying it. The woman lent the money to the 32-year-old Jackson because she believed he was Tuman, District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. said.
Last year, Jackson was charged with impersonating Roethlisberger and his then-backup, Brian St. Pierre, to meet and date women. Jackson was ordered to undergo psychological counseling and sentenced to 30 days in jail after pleading guilty to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct.

When the woman learned Tuman was not the man she knew, a team official helped her find a news article about Jackson - and she recognized him as the man she had dated, authorities said.

Jackson faces a felony charge that is punishable by up to seven years in prison.

Investigators gave the following account in a criminal complaint:

The woman said she met Jackson in March and that he introduced himself as Tuman. Over the next four weeks, Jackson borrowed money after telling her various tales.

The woman said she lent Jackson $200 after he told her he misplaced his wallet and needed some quick cash so he could accompany some Steelers teammates to a West Virginia race track and casino.

In early April, Jackson told the woman that his ex-wife or girlfriend had frozen his bank accounts in a child-support dispute. When she offered to write him a check, he asked for cash and got $1,800.

Later that month, Jackson told the woman that he wanted to "treat" himself to new rims for his truck. The woman said she lent him money after Jackson told her he could not use his credit card because it could be used against him in the supposed child-support dispute.