Sampson arrested on new child-support charges

RICHMOND, Va. -- Former NBA player Ralph Sampson was arrested Friday in Atlanta on two felony counts of failing to pay court-ordered child support, U.S. Attorney Paul J. McNulty said.

Sampson, 44, faces a maximum possible sentence of two years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on each charge if convicted. A federal grand jury in Virginia indicted Sampson on May 4.

One of the counts alleges that Sampson failed to keep up with child support for a daughter in Falmouth, Va., as ordered by a judge who sentenced him to two years' probation in 2003. Sampson owes more than $6,000 to that daughter, McNulty said.

Sampson also is charged with failing to comply with a 1988 order that he pay $1,500 a month in child support for a daughter in Alexandria, Va. As of April 30, Sampson owed more than $247,500 in that case, McNulty said.

Fred Heblich, who represented Sampson in the 2003 case, said in a telephone interview that he hadn't heard from Sampson and knew nothing about the new charges.

The 7-foot-4 Sampson, who starred at the University of Virginia and now lives in suburban Atlanta, was the first pick of the 1983 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets.

Court documents in the 2003 case showed Sampson was paid $539,060 in 1999 and $134,765 in 2000 by the Sacramento Kings. In 2001, he earned $11,207 while employed by a number of organizations, including NBA Entertainment.