Three Are Suspended at Colorado State

Prosecutors said Wednesday they had issued arrest warrants for seven people, including three members of the Colorado State football team, as part of a fraud and forgery investigation dating to last year.

“There has been an ongoing criminal investigation since November into bank fraud, and it went to a grand jury in February,” said Linda Jensen, a spokeswoman for Larimer County, Colo., prosecutors. “These are not indictments from a grand jury. These are charges that we have filed.”

The felony charges range from forgery to theft to identity theft. Jensen said she could not detail the allegations because the warrants have been sealed by a judge as the investigation continues.

Coach Sonny Lubick suspended the players immediately pending the outcome of the case. None are starters, and two are redshirt freshmen.

“It doesn’t make us look good,” the 69-year-old coach said after practice Wednesday night. Colorado State plays Colorado on Saturday.

The suspended players were identified as Brian Abata, a freshman defensive lineman from Denver; Robert Herbert, a senior cornerback from Alta Loma; and Micah Crews, a freshman defensive back from Englewood, Colo.

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California Coach Jeff Tedford said Nate Longshore would start at quarterback for the second straight week despite being mostly ineffective against Tennessee’s speedy defense. Joe Ayoob, who led both of Cal’s late scoring drives, will come off the bench again against Minnesota.