This is sad news for anyone who grew up watching the NFL in the late-80s and early-90s. David Meggett, the former running back and return specialist who played for Towson, the New York Giants, the New England Patriots, and the New York Jets has been sentenced to 30 years in jail by a South Carolina court after being found guilty of criminal sexual conduct and burglary. His attorney says he will appeal the case.

As the AP story notes, this is not Meggett's first brush with the law:

In 1998, Meggett was arrested in Toronto, Canada, after authorities said he allegedly assaulted an escort worker after a three-way sexual encounter. A trial on the assault charge ended with a hung jury in April 2000.

Meggett later worked as parks and recreation director in Robersonville, N.C., but resigned four years ago after he was accused of sexually assaulting his former girlfriend.

He was convicted of misdemeanor sexual battery in 2007, receiving two years' probation in the North Carolina case. Authorities said he was allowed to move back to South Carolina to serve his probation.

Meggett is the father of current Maryland football player Davin Meggett, a junior at the university who is having a standout season for the Terps as part of a two-pronged rushing attack with Da'rel Scott. Davin (pronounced DAY-vin, by the way) was born and raised in Upper Marlboro by his mother, Victoria and stepfather, John Davis. As he told the Baltimore Sun for this recruiting profile when he first signed with Maryland, "I don't really see my father much."

Maryland plays Virginia at 3:30 Saturday afternoon in Charlottesville.