No link seen between agent, UNLV

Wednesday, April 26, 2000 | 10:09 a.m.

Nate Cebrun, a self-described middle man for sports agents, was wearing a 1990 UNLV championship ring when he was arrested by Las Vegas police Monday night on charges of providing $2,500 to former Auburn basketball player Chris Porter.

But that seems to be the only connection between Cebrun and the UNLV program.

Originally, law enforcement officials believed three men who were at Cebrun's Las Vegas apartment at the time of his arrest were UNLV basketball players. But according to Sgt. Al Cervantes of the local Criminal Apprehension Team, a follow-up investigation revealed that one of the men with Cebrun was from Fresno, Calif., and the other two were from Texas.

A UNLV source said two UNLV players during a team meeting Tuesday admitted to knowing Cebrun, who also claims to have a relationship with Larry Johnson, the star of UNLV's 1990 National Championship team. But the current players said they only knew Cebrun casually through summer basketball leagues, and had not had recent contact with him.

A police spokeswoman said sports agent Robert J. Walsh, 39, and an associate of the 54-year-old Cebrun, both of Las Vegas, were arrested on warrants from Lee County (Ala.) charging them with violating Alabama's sports agent law.

Six new sports utility vehicles, with temporary registration made out to Big Time Sports under the name of Walsh, were parked at Cebrun's apartment at the time of his arrest.

Police said authorities were continuing to seek Colleen Preiss, 49, also of Las Vegas. She has been described in news accounts as the person who actually provided $500 and $2,000 money orders for Porter.

The law prohibits agents from secretly contacting college or high school athletes, or providing them money.

Cebrun has said Preiss is a wealthy woman who provided the money as a loan to help out Porter's mother.

The arrests came after a grand jury in Lee County indicted the three. The indictments contend that Walsh and Cebrun were involved in providing money to Porter.

Porter said the money was to help his mother but said he didn't know it was from an agent.