Being arrested for domestic violence can have life changing consequences, but if you are a celebrity figure, the notoriety that goes along with it, can be just as tough.

Police in Dallas, Texas, are recommending that Deion Sanders, an ex-NFL football player, be charged with a Class A Misdemeanor Criminal Mischief charge instead of a Class C Simple Assault charge that he was cited for after an April 23 incident with his ex-wife.

The incident occurred when police responded to a domestic disturbance call. At the scene, Sanders claimed that he was assaulted by his ex-wife and another woman in front of his children. Sanders ex-wife denies the allegations. After investigating the incident further, police decided to charge Sanders with a Class C Simple Assault charge and was not taken into custody, but his ex-wife was taken into custody on suspicion of assault family violence and her bail was set at $264. She was released the next day.

The couple married in 1999 and has three children together. They have been involved in a bitter divorce.

While there are two sides to this story, the case is now in the hands of the Collin County district attorney's office. Sanders' is currently under contract with the NFL Network as an analyst, but the network has declined to comment on the case.

Sanders' has not been arrested, but if convicted on the Class A misdemeanor, Sanders could be looking at a prison term of one year and a $4,000 fine. A Class C misdemeanor would have carried no jail time and a $500 fine.

Source: CNN, "Police push more serious charge against Deion Sanders after domestic dispute," May 3, 2012