Commanders announcer Smoot faces civil charge

Fred Smoot, a member of the Washington Commanders‘ broadcast team, has been arrested on a civil misdemeanor charge of “failure to comply with a support obligation,” according to the Loudoun County (Va.) Sheriff’s department. Smoot turned himself in Thursday morning.

Smoot, who played for Washington and Minnesota during his nine-year career, serves as a postgame analyst on the Commanders’ game-day broadcast. He also appears on their in-house programs but is not a full-time employee of the organization. Smoot will not be on the air after Friday’s preseason game vs. Cleveland, according to a source.

Smoot had been unaware of the charges because the arrest warrants had been served to an address where he no longer lived, according to a source familiar with the situation. He was released Friday.

The Commanders declined comment. TMZ first reported news of his arrest.

In 2005, Smoot was involved in the “Love Boat” scandal while playing for the Vikings. He and several other Vikings hired prostitutes for a sex party on a boat. There were allegations of lewd behavior and disorderly conduct on the boat. Smoot later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges.

In 2013, he received six months of probation after pleading guilty to driving under the influence. A year later he was charged with domestic violence, but a judge later found him not guilty. He’s also been cited for numerous traffic violations.

Smoot played for Washington from 2001 to 2004 and again from 2007 to 2009. He spent two years in between playing for Minnesota. Overall, Smoot played 129 games and intercepted 21 passes.

Earlier this summer, local radio personality Don Geronimo was fired from the Commanders’ radio partner, WBIG-FM, for comments he made on air about a local TV reporter while broadcasting from the facility.

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