FAYETTEVILLE : Former Razorback enters drug court
Posted on Tuesday, October 14, 2008
FAYETTEVILLE — Former Arkansas quarterback and current National Football League wide receiver Matt Jones was admitted to Washington County Drug Court on Monday for charges related to his arrest for possession of cocaine.
If he completes the diversion and rehabilitation program, Jones will have the charges wiped from his criminal record, Circuit Judge Mary Ann Gunn said.
Jones, 25, was arrested July 11 by Fayetteville police, who reported finding him cutting cocaine with a Foot Locker discount card while parked with friends behind a Dickson Street bar. There were 6 grams of cocaine in the vehicle, police said.
He has been free on a $ 2, 500 bond.
Standing in front of his father, Steve, and his mother, Paula, Jones told Gunn he was “very committed” to completing the program.
“I want to make sure that something like that doesn’t happen again,” he said.
In order to be accepted to drug court, an offender must admit an addiction problem and undergo an assessment.
Jones said he quit using drugs after his arrest. A pre-court drug test and twice weekly random tests administered by the NFL have been negative.
Jones, a fourth-year wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars, will return to Florida to finish the season, completing treatment through the NFL drug treatment program. The league’s drug counselors will remain in contact with Gunn, providing access to random drug test results and completion of narcotics treatment meetings.
He’ll return to Arkansas at the end of the season to finish the program, which could include testing three times a week, calls for random tests at 5 a. m. Saturdays and Sundays, group therapy sessions and random searches of his house.
As Jones approached the bench, Gunn commented that she had seen “a bit of the good, the bad and the ugly” of the drug court. Moments before, a single mother who had been caught with methamphetamine graduated from drug court with her son in her arms, and another woman begged to remain in the program after fleeing from a residential treatment facility.
“If either one of you alter a drug test at any point in the program, I will kick you out on the spot,” she said to Jones and another offender.
She ordered Jones to stay and watch other drug court participants discuss their treatment with her.
“It’s part of the therapy,” she said.
If Jones fails to complete the program, he will continue through regular criminal proceedings. Felony possession carries up to 10 years in prison.
He pleaded innocent to charges Aug. 11, after which Washington County Circuit Judge William Storey approved his transfer to drug court.
Woody Bassett, Jones’ attorney, said he was pleased with his client’s admission to the program. The NFL has approved the agreement, he said.
“Everybody’s on board here,” he said. “This is in Matt’s best interest, and everybody’s in agreement that this is the way to go.”
Jones starred as a quarterback at Arkansas and was drafted with the 21 st overall pick in 2005.
Before this season, Jones showed flashes of his first-round potential but was on the verge of losing his job after the Jaguars signed two more wide receivers. Injuries to other receivers left the door open for Jones, and he leads the team with 338 yards on 30 receptions this year.
He completed seven catches for 69 yards in Jacksonville’s 24-17 win against the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
The NFL substance abuse policy indicates a player may be suspended for one or more regular season games for drug possession charges. Officials were reviewing Jones’ situation Monday, NFL spokesman Corry Rush said.
Rush would not comment on how Jones’ participation in drug court would affect his participation in the league next season.
Jones is not the first NFL player to enter drug court.
Fellow former Razorback Marcus Harrison, a rookie defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears, was accepted to the program earlier this year. Police arrested him in August 2007 with an Ecstasy pill and two marijuana cigarettes in his car. Jones was arrested with former Razorbacks tight end Jared Hicks and Benjamin Cook of Tulsa, who were in the vehicle with him. Both face misdemeanor charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, which are pending in Washington County Court.
To contact this reporter: eblad@arkansasonline. com
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