Trevor Mbakwe, the Gophers men's basketball standout whose senior season was lost to a knee injury in November, pleaded guilty on Monday to violating a harassment restraining order.
Mbakwe had never denied sending a Facebook message to an ex-girlfriend earlier this year. But it wasn't until Monday in Ramsey County District Court that he admitted the communication violated a restraining order she obtained in 2009.
Judge Judith Tilsen sentenced him to one year of probation and one day in jail, the latter of which he served when arrested in January. Mbakwe also was ordered to have no contact with the victim and to complete domestic abuse counseling.
In August 2009, he had agreed to cease contact with the woman after she sought a restraining order in Dakota County alleging repeated and unwanted phone calls and communication. He denied those allegations but agreed to stay away from the woman. In January, Mbakwe sent a Facebook message to the ex-girlfriend that read in part: "I am still disappointed how everything played out and I do wish that in the future we could be cool again."
ANTHONY LONETREE
