BREAKING NEWS: Georgia football employee jailed on felony surveillance charges

ATHENS – An equipment manager for the Georgia football team is in jail facing felony charges for illegal eavesdropping or surveillance and illegal drugs.

Kevin Purvis, who is listed as associate equipment manager on the Georgia Athletic Association’s website, was booked into Athens-Clarke County Jail at 8:48 p.m. on Friday and charged with four felonies and a misdemeanor. Three of the felonies are for illegal eavesdropping or surveillance. The other felony was for possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, and the misdemeanor was for possession of marijuana.

Purvis, 37, remained in jail Friday night on $16,000 in bonds. Warrants executed by the Athens-Clarke County sheriff’s office had not been returned to the magistrate’s office as of late Friday afternoon, so no other information was immediately available from police.

UGA spokesman Claude Felton said the athletic association was aware of Purvis’ arrest and that he had already been terminated. Felton declined further comment but emailed a prepared statement.

“As soon as it learned of the incident, the Athletic Association notified the University of Georgia Police Department, who began their investigation,” the statement read. “The University took immediate action, and the employee was terminated early in the investigation. Based on the findings of the police investigation, no student-athletes were victims in this incident.”

Georgia law defines illegal eavesdropping or surveillance as “any person, through the use of any device, without the consent of all persons observed, to observe, photograph, or record the activities of another which occur in any private place and out of public view; provided, however, that it shall not be unlawful.”

Purvis is a native of Ocilla and has been with the Bulldogs since 2006, according to his bio on the athletic department’s website. He came to Georgia after handling football equipment for Valdosta State.

In his capacity as an equipment manager, Purvis works with the football team every day and also assists coach Kirby Smart with his summer football camps.

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