INDReporter

4 UL football players arrested for growing marijuana

by Leslie Turk

The Daily Advertiser's Joshua Parrott appears to have been the first reporter to break the story (on of all days, April 20, National Pot Smokers Day) on the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office's arrest of four UL football players Monday afternoon for cultivation of marijuana, which is a felony in Louisiana.

The Daily Advertiser's Joshua Parrott appears to have been the first reporter to break the story (on of all days, April 20, National Pot Smokers Day) on the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office's arrest of four UL football players Monday afternoon for cultivation of marijuana, which is a felony in Louisiana. UL Lafayette's Athletic Department later confirmed that football players Blaine Gautier, Rodney Gillis, Devon Lewis-Buchanan and Chris Richard "have been suspended indefinitely from the football team pending a thorough review of the facts by the Athletic Department." The brief statement noted that the department would have no further comment until the review has been finalized.

Parrott reported on his blog at 6:02 this morning that junior linebacker Lewis-Buchanan, sophomore quarterback Gautier, sophomore cornerback Gillis and junior safety Chris Richard were booked at 7:04 p.m. Monday into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center and that all but Richard had been released by 6:30 a.m. today on $20,000 bond.

According to Louisiana law, penalties for cultivation or selling or possession with intent to distribute less than 60 pounds of marijuana include five to 30 years in prison and/or a $50,000 fine, Parrott reported. For 60 pounds to 2,000 pounds it's a fine of $50,000-$100,000.