Four Minnesota Vikings, including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, were charged Thursday with misdemeanors alleging lewd or indecent conduct in connection with a party on two chartered boats on Lake Minnetonka in October.
The other players charged were tackle Bryant McKinnie, running back Moe Williams and cornerback Fred Smoot, who was one of the organizers of the annual party put on by a first-year player from the team.
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On Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger confirmed no players would face federal charges. Crew members from Al & Alma’s Supper Club and Charter Cruises said women who were paid to come to Minnesota from other states for the party were seen having sex with players.
All four players were charged with one count of indecent conduct, one count of disorderly conduct and one count of lewd and lascivious conduct. All charges are misdemeanors.
“There was no shortage of inappropriate behavior on both boats,” said Hennepin County Sheriff Patrick McGowan in talking about the charges. He said that the investigation identified 30 Vikings among the approximately 90 people aboard the two boats.
Culpepper, McKinnie and Smoot denied the charges to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, but Williams could not be reached for comment.
“I look forward to meeting my accusers in a court of law so they can be confronted with this lie,” Culpepper told the Pioneer Press. “In the end, the truth will come out and I will be vindicated. . . . I didn’t touch anybody and nobody touched me.”
Coach Mike Tice said, “We’ve been down this road with other players before. I’ll just let you know, as it pertains to any punishment . . . until at any point there is a conviction of any type, I have no action to take and nothing to say.”
The complaints gave this account of the allegations:
– Culpepper received a lap dance from a naked woman while Williams received a lap dance from a topless woman. While both allegedly touched the women, neither is alleged to have committed a sexual act.
– Smoot was accused of using a sex toy on two women in the presence of numerous guests.
– McKinnie is alleged to have both committed a sex act on a naked woman on a bar in the lounge area and to have had a sex act performed on him along with three other unidentified males while sitting in deck chairs on the boat.
The maximum penalty on each charge is 90 days in jail or a $1,000 fine. Court appearances were set for the players on Jan. 5. Others aboard the boats who engaged in conduct similar to those charged could not be identified, McGowan said.
“None of the Vikings have chosen to talk to us,” McGowan said.
Smoot said Thursday, “I’m not talking about nothing.”
Peter Wold, who represents another Vikings player who isn’t charged, said his investigation found “nothing pointing to any of these four.”
“The Vikings charged in the case are among the most recognizable players on the team and they also are among the highest paid,” Wold said. “This is a shakedown.”
Prosecutor Steve Tallen received a file from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office about two weeks ago. Employees of the boat company identified 17 players among the approximately 90 guests on the two boats chartered for the Oct. 6 party.
Stephen Doyle, the attorney representing Al & Alma’s, said sex acts were performed in front of employees and many of the employees were fearful for their safety. The boat captains decided to end the cruise early and turn around because of the activities.
Doyle has said Smoot was one of the organizers, but Smoot has repeatedly denied it and has threatened legal action.
An exotic dancer from Atlanta who said she was on one of the boats said in an interview with the Star Tribune that she saw two incidents of sexual activity on her boat, but not as much as has been described in some news accounts. The woman, who spoke to the newspaper on the condition that her name not be published, said she was paid $500 to attend a party thrown by first-year Vikings players.
She said that she didn’t know if any Vikings were involved and that it was her understanding that an invitation to the party didn’t include an expectation to have sex. She said at least a dozen other exotic dancers from Atlanta attended the party, but didn’t know if they were paid.
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“I wasn’t flown up to be a prostitute,” she said during an interview in Atlanta.