Alabama players Cam Robinson and Laurence "Hootie" Jones were arrested on Tuesday morning in Monroe, Louisiana — the hometown for both players — for very serious accusations involving marijuana and illegal weapons possession. The Monroe Police Department has since released a troubling statement, outlining the exact reasoning why both players were arrested.
Some of the text from the statement is below:
The officer made contact with the driver Cameron Robinson, and did smell a strong odor of suspected marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. It was at this time that the officer observed a handgun laying in the lap of the front seat passenger who was identified as Laurence Jones. The suspects were asked to step out of the vehicle, to which they complied, and the subsequent search revealed additional suspected marijuana, and an additional handgun that had been reported stolen out of Baldwin Co, Alabama.
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Robinson is being charged with Possession of CDS 1 illegal possession of marijuana; illegal possession of a firearm; and possession of a stolen firearm. Jones is being charged with Possession of CDS 1 illegal possession of marijuana and illegal possession of a firearm. Both individuals were booked into the Ouachita Parish Correctional Center where they posted bond.
According to ESPN, the stolen weapon charge assessed to Robinson is a felony. The rest are misdemeanors.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban has also released a statement, saying that the school is looking into the arrests.
We are aware of the situation involving Hootie Jones and Cam Robinson and are in the process of gathering facts to determine what internal action needs to be taken."
The arrests are a big bump in the road for Alabama, especially for Robinson. The offensive lineman is one of the best linemen in all of college football, and he has been projected to be a top pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Jones, a defensive back, has played in limited time for the Crimson Tide.
This on-going story will be updated as more information is made available.