The Associated Press

SYRACUSE - Two Syracuse University football players - including the younger brother of troubled former NFL quarterback Todd Marinovich - have been arrested for breaking into a sports equipment room.

Paul Chiara and Mikhail Marinovich were each charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief following the incident at Manley Field House early Sunday morning, police said.

Marinovich, 20, is a freshman from San Clemente, Calif., who played last fall at Milford Academy, a prep school in New Berlin, N.Y., and enrolled at Syracuse in January. Syracuse spokeswoman Sue Edson said he is the brother of Todd Marinovich, the former University of Southern California standout who has had his own history of legal entanglements.

Chiara, 22, is a senior from Mountain Lakes, N.J. He has played tailback in his previous three seasons at Syracuse, but is being moved to safety for spring practice.

According to the police report, Chiara and Marinovich had been drinking alcohol at the time of the incident.

As football players, they were permitted in the field house, but they did not have access to the equipment room, Syracuse equipment manager Gary Audet told police.

Audet said Chiara and Marinovich broke a roll-up metal gate/window as well as the cylinder lock on the gate.

The two players ran from the field house and were chased down by Syracuse police and university public safety officers.

Both were released on appearance tickets.

“We are gathering all the information and we will handle the matter appropriately internally,” head coach Greg Robinson said in a prepared statement.