Prosecutors have dropped criminal charges against University of Texas-El Paso basketball star Stefon Jackson, who was arrested last month and charged with hindering the apprehension of his cousin, Willie Harden Jr., who was wanted for attempted murder in Philadelphia, the El Paso Times reported.

The 21-year-old Jackson was arrested April 15 at his apartment for allegedly lying to investigators about whether he had seen his cousin and spent about six hours in jail before being released, the Times reported.

Harden allegedly told deputies after his own arrest that Jackson had rented a local hotel room and had let him stay at his apartment for about a week, the paper said.

When deputies went to Jackson's apartment, he allegedly told officers no one else was there, but when they looked they found a man hiding in the bedroom, 20-year-old Lamar Reid, who was wanted for murder in Philadelphia, the Times reported.

District Attorney Jaime Esparza said Thursday that his office had declined to prosecute Jackson, the paper said.

"In reviewing the facts of this case, we don't believe there's sufficient evidence to indicate that a crime was committed. As far as this incident goes, it's over," Esparza said.

Jackson has been told by UTEP officials not to comment on the case, but his attorney Dolph Quijano told the Times that Jackson is grateful to put the case behind him.

"I'm just glad they had a chance to look at it and come back with a decision relatively quick," Quijano told the paper. "He's just looking forward to playing basketball for the Miners."

Jackson has put his name into consideration for early entry into the NBA draft, but has not hired an agent, so he can still come back and play his senior season at UTEP, the Times reported.

The 6-foot-5-inch guard scored 778 points last season, and could break the school's all-time scoring record if he returns, according to the Times.

The NBA draft will be held June 26, and Jackson has until June 16 to withdraw his name, the paper said. 

7:35am 4/16/08 -- UTEP Star Arrested, Suspended: Stefon Jackson accused of lying about whereabouts of his fugitive cousin.

Stefon Jackson, 21, the leading scorer on the University of Texas-El Paso's men's basketball team, was arrested Tuesday for allegedly hindering the apprehension of his 20-year-old cousin, Willie Harden Jr., who is wanted on two counts of attempted murder in Philadelphia, the El Paso Times reported.

The charge is a third-degree felony, punishable by two to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000, the paper said.

Jackson was released from jail about seven hours after his arrest, after posting a $3,000 bond, and telling a Times reporter he was "shocked" by this arrest. 

Jackson was accused of lying to a sheriff's deputy last Friday concerning the whereabouts of Harden, who was being sought in connection with a March 14 shooting that wounded five people, the Times reported.

Harden, who the FBI learned early this month had traveled to El Paso to live with Jackson, was arrested later Friday at a Wendy's restaurant near UTEP, according to the Times.

According to the deputy's report, Harden told investigators after his arrest that Jackson had rented a hotel room for him and had let him stay in his apartment for a week, the Times reported.

When officers arrested Jackson at his apartment on Tuesday, they found a man hiding there who was wanted for a murder in Philadelphia, the paper said.

Arrested at Jackson's apartment was 20-year-old Lamar Reid, who was wanted in the March 23 shooting death of Johnathan Palmer, 20, of Philadephia, the Times reported.

No charges were filed against Jackson in connection with Reid, according to the Times.

Jackson, who just completed his junior year at UTEP, was the UTEP Miners' leading scorer with 778 points on the season, averaging 23.6 points a game, the Times reported.

He set a Conference USA scoring record for juniors and is fourth on UTEP's all-time scoring list with 1,548 points , the paper said.

UTEP officials told the Times that Jackson has been indefinitely suspended from the basketball team. 

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