Report: Hawks center Miles Plumlee arrested for marijuana possession in New York
Atlanta Hawks big man Miles Plumlee was arrested late last month for criminal possession of marijuana in Shelter Island, New York, according to NBA columnist and Shelter Island resident Peter Vecsey.
Sure enough, police records from the Shelter Island Reporter indicated Miles C. Plumlee, 28, of Mequon, Wisconsin, was “arrested and issued a field appearance ticket for criminal possession of marijuana in the fifth degree and posted $100 cash bail” on Aug. 20. The Hawks forward’s full name is Miles Christian Plumlee. He turned 29 on Sept. 1 and lived in Mequon while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks.
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Plumlee’s alleged violation in New York is defined as public consumption of marijuana in any amount or possession of the substance between 25 grams and two ounces. It is considered a class B misdemeanor and punishable by up to three months in jail. Mere possession of less than 25 grams, out of public view, is decriminalized in the state and punishable by no more than $100. Recreational marijuana use remains illegal in New York three years after the state legalized it for medical use.
Plumlee’s arrest in the Long Island town of around 2,500 people went unreported for two weeks. By contrast, the arrest of Sacramento Kings forward Zach Randolph in Los Angeles early last month made national news almost immediately. The 36-year-old Randolph was initially charged with felony possession of marijuana with intent to sell when police reportedly “found a large crowd of people smoking, playing loud music and blocking the roadway” in the city’s Nickerson Gardens area.
Prosecutors later limited the charges against Randolph to misdemeanor marijuana possession and resisting arrest, according to the Associated Press. The former Memphis Grizzlies standout allegedly possessed “more than 28.5 grams of marijuana or more than four grams of concentrated cannabis or both,” court records said. California residents voted to legalize recreational marijuana this past November, allowing adults over the age of 21 to transport less than an ounce of marijuana.
The NBA’s collective bargaining agreement includes marijuana in its list of banned substances. Players are subject to the league’s marijuana treatment program following their first violation of the league’s substance abuse policy, which can include a positive test, “adjudged” possession or a conviction. Second and third violations can result in a $25,000 fine and five-game suspension, respectively.
In recent months, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said there is no pressing need to change league rules regarding marijuana use, although the subject of medical marijuana is of particular intrigue.
Plumlee is on his fourth NBA team in two years and third since February. After signing him to a four-year, $52 million contract last offseason, the Bucks traded the 6-foot-11, 250-pound center to the Charlotte Hornets for Spencer Hawes and Roy Hibbert before the trade deadline. Milwaukee has since waived Hawes and Hibbert. The Hornets then dealt Plumlee along with Marco Belinelli to the Atlanta Hawks for former All-Star Dwight Howard and a second-round pick swap before the draft in June.
Plumlee’s younger brother Mason currently plays for the Denver Nuggets, and their younger brother Marshall played 21 games for the New York Knicks last season. They became the first sibling triumvirate to play in the NBA at the same time since Brent, Drew and Jon Barry did it from 1997-2000.
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Ben Rohrbach is a contributor for Ball Don’t Lie and Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at rohrbach_ben@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @brohrbach
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