Former Santa Barbara City College Football Star Pleads Guilty to Felony Assault

A former Santa Barbara City College running back who broke nearly every school record during his 2022 season and was recruited by several NCAA Division 1 football programs pleaded guilty to felony assault for his role in a violent daytime robbery near Goleta.

Brandon Tyree Smith was sentenced Tuesday to 41 days in jail and two years of probation. Smith’s attorney did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) said, “SBCC continues to feel deeply for the victim, his family, and friends. SBCC is aware of the former student’s verdicts and has no comment.”

On the afternoon of June 2, 2023 ― the same day Smith announced he had received a scholarship and committed to top-ranked Oregon State University ― he went to a friend’s home in the Forte Ranch condominium complex off Calle Real to buy and smoke marijuana, court records show. 

Present were Smith, 21; former SBCC students Jude Hallal, 19, and Jordan Lopez, 20; and Goleta resident Michael Lee, 21. They were acquaintances of the victim, 21-year-old Levi Potter. 

Hallal invited Potter over, and as soon as he arrived, he was jumped by the four men, the complaint reads. “The attack lasted approximately 10 minutes and Potter was unable to place all of the details in specific chronological order,” it says.

“However, Potter was able to say that Hallal put him in a headlock and threw him to the ground. Smith punched his face numerous times. Lee used a baseball bat to strike Potter’s leg. Lee at one point had a knife and was pacing back and forth, seemingly prepared to use it against Potter.”

During the attack, prosecutors said, the group talked about robbing Potter. They took his keys, wallet, and cell phone from his pockets. At one point, Potter rushed Lee, wrestled the knife from him, and managed to stab both Lee and Lopez. He then ran out a back door toward the pool area. 

“Lopez chased Potter, grabbed him, and threw him to the ground,” prosecutors said. “Lopez proceeded to stomp on Potter’s face. This was corroborated by several witnesses who were at the pool of the condominium complex.”

The four fled the scene before police arrived but were soon apprehended. Potter was transported to the hospital with serious injuries.

Smith denied any involvement in the planning or execution of the robbery, and he insisted on his innocence during jail calls to his mother, who helped post his $200,000 bail. At court hearings, he was supported by a number of SBCC teammates and coaches.

Soon after the news of Smith’s arrest went public, however, Oregon State told reporters that Smith never officially signed with the team and would not be part of their program.

Unbeknown to both Oregon State and SBCC, at the time of the incident Smith was already out on bail in a separate domestic battery case, to which he also pleaded guilty Tuesday. His probation terms therefore specifically include domestic violence interventions, said prosecutor Heather Trapnell.

Hallal, Lopez, and Lee pleaded guilty to felony assault charges, while Lopez and Lee admitted to a first-degree robbery charge as well. Both are strike offenses under California law.

Lopez and Lee, who played more serious roles in the attack on Potter, are expected to be sentenced to one year in jail and five years of probation, with a suspended sentence of 13 years in prison should either violate their probation. Their sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 23.