Former OSU Player Pleads Guilty To Drug Charge
A former Ohio State football player pleads guilty to a drug charge Monday.
COLUMBUS, Ohio—A former Ohio State football player pleaded guilty to a drug charge Monday.
NBC 4 reported with the FAST FACTS.
Former Buckeye offensive lineman Timothy or T.J. Downing pleaded guilty to one count of possession of drugs Monday.
Downing, 24, played for the Buckeyes from 2003 to 2006.
He pleaded guilty to the fifth-degree felony in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, according to Prosecutor Ron O’Brien.
Downing was arrested Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008, on drug and weapons charges.
Grandview Heights police stopped Downing on West Fifth Avenue and Cambridge Boulevard for dark-tinted windows and having no front license plate.
When an officer approached the car and Downing rolled down the window, police said an officer smelled marijuana and called in backup.
Police told NBC 4 officers found marijuana, cocaine and prescription drugs in Downing’s car.
The vehicle was searched, and officers found a baggie of suspected cocaine. The baggie was sent to the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation for testing.
The substance in the baggie was found to be 1.4 grams of cocaine, according to O’Brien.
Police also said there was a loaded .40-caliber weapon in his trunk. While Downing does have a conceal-carry permit, police said the gun was improperly stored.
Downing was released from jail after posting a little more than $10,000 bond Tuesday, Nov 11, 2008.
The weapons charge was dismissed, according to court records.
Judge John Bessy ordered a pre-sentence investigation, and sentencing was set for 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009.
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Reader Reactions
There is one for you people complaining about schools cutting out sports because of budget woes look at what an athletic scholarship produces for Ohio State.Your kids dont need sports to excel all they need is a bong.
Gotta love those Buckeyes. They cant win the big one…but they sure know how to grieve about being losers. Just do drugs and forget our problems. Another great example here folks. Lets all just pack that stadium to see the dope team play.
this is a trend at osu. drugs, guns, duis, and assults. this school seems more concerned about win and bcs games than quality of players it goes for. does anyone no how many players this makes from that championship team? this is getting out off hand and now they are committing felonies on their way here like the florida running back. go bucks
he had 1.4 grams…...i seriously doubt he was selling it. Nowadays guns are a neccessity.
Using drugs and likely selling them means you most definitely need a conceal-carry permit. From what I read it gets pretty rough being in that lifestyle. So sad to see kids throwing their lives away.
Why am I not surprised…..OSU needs to quit putting that special ingredient into those water bottles.
Apparently he needed it to be ready to go in case someone stole his stash! HAHA!
“police said the gun was improperly stored”
A lesson for all CCW permit holders. Simply throwing your handgun in the trunk of your car is not considered lawfully securing it.
Good job Downing! Way to make the Buckeye’s proud! LOSER!
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