Four N.C. State football players face misdemeanor charges after a search of an off-campus apartment turned up marijuana and drug paraphernalia early Saturday morning, according to records at the Wake County courthouse.
Three players - defensive tackles Markus Kuhn and J.R. Sweezy, and offensive tackle Jake Vermiglio - were charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, simple possession of marijuana and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of using a controlled substance. All the charges are misdemeanors.
Tight end George Bryan faces a single charge of maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of using a controlled substance.
Through a school spokeswoman, N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien commented in a brief statement.
"I have been made aware of the situation," O'Brien said, "and appropriate action will be taken."
According to a Raleigh police search warrant, the players were in a College Inn apartment where police found marijuana and drug paraphernalia early Saturday morning.
An off-duty Raleigh police officer working security at the College Inn complex on the 2700 block of Western Boulevard reported smelling the strong odor of marijuana from the doorway of a third-floor apartment as he walked the hallway at about 1 a.m. Saturday, according to the warrant.
After knocking on the door and meeting the tenants to confirm his observations, the warrant said, investigators seized three plastic bags filled with about six grams of marijuana, a "blunt" cigar stuffed with marijuana, two homemade bongs and other paraphernalia.
Sweezy was suspended from the team indefinitely in March after an unrelated incident. He was charged with misdemeanor assault and misdemeanor larceny after a March 18 altercation with a shuttle bus driver in Mooresville.
More details to come.
Staff writer Ken Tysiac contributed to this report.
Assistant sports editor Lorenzo Perez has bounced back-and-forth between The News & Observer's news and sports department several times since joining the newspaper in 1999. His latest assignment has him working with The N&O's ACC writers and online news. E-mail
Comments
Unfortunate
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 19:21 — mad_maxSucks that this happened and that it involves some key players. However, I think we'll see all of these guys (except Sweezey, who should be kicked off the team now) playing football come September. I like how so many people are getting riled up over this and how Gatr seems to be jizzing in his pants. Though, like he said, it is the off-season. It's a little bit of weed folks. I'm not so much upset that this was going on...I'm more upset that they were dumb enough to get caught. Embarrassing for the program? Eh, a little bit I guess, but let's not get carried away here without looking in the mirror. Let's see, wasn't it Ty Lawson who was illegally drinking underage and driving, thus putting other people's lives in danger? And how did that all work out? Oh yeah, he wrote an essay called "What I learned this summer", and then helped UNC win a national title. Seems like several of you have an extremely different stance on this type of issue now that something has happened at the school down the road.
TOB will do what is right and make a statement to these kids, but I don't think it will really affect the football season. If anyone thinks that there is a football team in the triangle that doesn't have at least one player hitting the bong, then I feel sorry for you. By the way, I have a feeling that this rent-a-cop character is friends with Dean Smith...just sayin'! Haha, but seriously, not a huge deal IMO. Shouldn't have happened, but much worse things can and have happened with college athletes in this area. I'm kinda glad that the cop chose to take action and hopefully teach these kids a lesson, because I'm sure that more often than not, these kinds of incidents involving college athletes get swept under the rug. Let the haters keep hating, I'm moving on. People will forget about this in a few months, or at least once the next Duke player gets busted for assault with a deadly weapon or the next UNC player gets busted for raping a child.
Ty Lawson
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 20:24 — Heels20What Lawson did was wrong, and a DUI is most definitely more serious than a pot charge, but I wouldn't characterize a 20.5 year-old with a blood-alcohol level of .03 as putting other people's lives in danger. Let's not get carried away. How about TA getting pulled for speeding when he was found for underage drinking? How did that not constitute for a DUI?
As far as the rape goes, it's nice to see that you had to refer back to something that occurred a decade ago. Since then, we could discuss...
Marcus Hudson's larceny and credit card fraud
Damon Thornton's DUI (make that plural if you want to include the one over Christmas)
Devonte Edwards' Resisting arrest and assaulting an officer.
Tank Tyler's charges for assault while drunk in public.
Sean Locklear's domestic violence
Richard Washington possession of drugs
Gavin Grant credit card fraud
Koren Robinson of pretty much everything
Marcus Melvin assault on female
Ced Hickman stealing a car
Peter Singer with weapons, drugs, alcohol 2 months AFTER being pulled after consuming alcohol underage
...Okay, at this point I'm just tired. The rap sheet goes on. Glad someone took my bait.
Or you could peruse this classic...
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 22:39 — willncsuhttp://carolinasucks.com/images/uncrapsheet.htm
All programs have athletes getting in trouble. Hey, at least were not Washington! The triangle schools are extremely tame compared to most big time football programs.
Funny thing about that one
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 22:56 — Heels20"In the last few years"
That list goes back to the 60s...
Any way, the main point I was trying to make was how max referred to an event from over a decade ago as if it was a common occurrence, so I just named a few of the acts committed by well-known Wolfpackers since the rape incident.
Other thing is, you'd be surprised at how much Amato was able to cover up. Geron James tested positive for marijuana twice, but wasn't dismissed until he failed to qualify academically. Richard Washington failed 3 drug tests before he got the boot. It's unbelievable how different things were in that 7-year period than they were under the O'Cain era and O'Brien's current reign. The irony of it all is that Amato was basically cheating, but all it did was set the program back a couple years. Call it stupidity or call it poetic justice, but there's not really a debate that that's what happened.
all i know is
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 21:27 — gvillegatri'm glad I never have to debate Heels20!! it would be futile!
G-ALLIGATOR--AKA-REDPUSSY-69!!
Wed, 04/28/2010 - 15:54 — bluecat69bluecat69HOLES-20 WOULD TEAR YOU A NEW A-S-HOLE IN A DEBATE, GO DUKE-CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As long as we are talking about criminals....
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 21:09 — JPDOhioMaurice Clarett has petitioned for early release this summer after serving 3 1/2 years in prison for aggravated robbery and carrying a concealed weapon.
Supposedly he has taken classes on geriatrics and gerontology while in prison and hopes to work with older adults. I guess someone thought that Maurice as a role model for kids wouldn't be a good idea.
Ah, Maurice
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 21:17 — Heels20If he had half a brain, he most likely would have been one of the greatest college RBs of all time. I know that's a pretty bold assumption considering he only played one year of college football, but he was an unbelievable player. It's interesting to think what he'd be like now had he stuck it out in college.
We'll never know
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 22:35 — JPDOhioClarett wasn't the fastest guy, but he had a knack for making plays. He also was a first class head case who argued with coaches on the sideline and thought he could get away with anything, even weapons in his car.
By the end of his college career, he was toxic. No one I knew could believe he was drafted as high as he was. This was after YSU's AD told me that he wouldn't touch Clarett with a ten foot pole, even if he was interested in transferring.
What a waste.
i believe
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 21:38 — gvillegatrthe yellow flag just fell on the ground for PI in the endzone.
never gets old .......
Ha
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 21:43 — Heels20Better late than never. It may have been some kind of divine intervention in which it was simply unacceptable for someone who was as bad of a coach as Larry Coker to win 2 national titles.
What will the NCAA do???
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 22:30 — BigMonsterTricky subject. Athletes off campus get into trouble. Is the university responsible?
Duke football players shot guns in durham. Duke not implicated.
Will ncsu get ncaa sanctions / lose of scholarships???
I'm suprised no one is
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 22:07 — chrismg1I'm suprised no one is talking about the other things taken by the police, namely a box of ephidrine sulphate injections, which is used to treat asthma but is often used as a performance enhancer by body builders and is banned outright by the NCAA. pot may be the tip of the iceberg here.
Screw the NFL draft, golf and Jon Scheyer giving back.
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 21:12 — JPDOhioNothing like a good drug bust to get the posters riled up.
DITTY!
Wed, 04/28/2010 - 15:57 — bluecat69bluecat69U HAVE AN ATTITUDE PROBLEM, OK, GO DUKE-CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!
yes sir!!
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 11:39 — gvillegatrwe all dig in on these types of issues!
besides, it is the off-season.
galligator-aka redpussy-69!!
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 19:32 — bluecat69bluecat69this is a perfect example of the difference in the DUKE program and the cow college, jon is giving back to the community, and the cow college is out DRUGGING IT UP, perrenial BOTTOM FEEDERS. go DUKE-CHAMPS!!!!
The punishment should fit the crime.
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 21:08 — JPDOhioIt is not appropriate for TOB to take action until the justice system plays out. There still is this minor concept of being presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Once the investigation is complete and the courts rule (or pleas are agreed to), then TOB can decide if further punishment is warranted. I am confident he will do the right thing based on the facts as they come out after proper investigation.
Agreed
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 21:18 — Heels20Just as I said earlier, nothing has been released confirming that all of the guys were guilty. Of course, O'Brien wasn't as patient with Ced Hickman in his "mistake" a few years ago, so we'll see how this situation goes.
irony
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 11:37 — gvillegatrthis is where the "MARINE" will come into play IMO. We all know how NCSU fans like to bring out the MARINE claim on positive notes.
what says you now fellas!?
Lookit - jaywalking can actually result in death or injury.
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 20:56 — colt1911Weed doesn't. If they were rapists or thugs (and there have been a few student athletes that were), I could understand the uproar. But this is a personal choice, a stupid law, and a very minor offense. I have to laugh at the self-righteousness of the detractors - if you have always been this rigid, maybe you need some chronic, although I would suggest more than 6 grams.
Dude
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 11:33 — gvillegatrI'd be surprised if there was anyone on this MB who hasn't at least done it once.
But you pay the price when you have been rewarded like these guys and get caught.
there is no gray area (in this case) when a contract has been signed.
If you are so inclined, go move to California b/c I understand they will vote on being able to smoke reefer without any consiquences if it passes.
G-!!ALLIGATOR AKA- REDPUSSY-69!!!!
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 19:36 — bluecat69bluecat69DUKE people dont act this way, we dont smoke or shoot-up, we leave that to cow college students, ok, go DUKE-CHAMPS!!!!!!!
"A pesonal choice"
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 21:11 — Heels20No it's not. They are going to college for free, and one of the conditions of this is that they don't smoke pot. As Gatr said earlier, it wouldn't be as big of an issue if they weren't athletes, but because they are, they should be disciplined.
6 lousy grams?
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 19:38 — colt1911That's barely enough for a couple of joints! This is a misdemeanor anyway. Why not write an article about spitting in public or jaywalking?
Because if they were simply
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 19:48 — TheBigGuyBecause if they were simply jaywalking, they wouldnt be disciplined by coach. That's why.
Congratulations
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 19:43 — Heels20You know about weed, cool!
Perspective needs some clarity
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 19:06 — countriboyLooks like these boys were just relaxing with a little weed--what's all the fuss about? Sure, they shouldn't be fooling with pot, esp. considering that they are athletes, but that should be a problem for their coach. Folks act like they were just got busted for moving three kilos of cocaine into the city. Everybody needs to calm down and drink a cold beer (or maybe take another bong hit). Aint no need to ruin these boys' whole lives due to a little error of judgment.
i would agree
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 20:03 — gvillegatrif they werent getting a free ride to school. its that they signed a contract (scholarship) saying they wouldn't do any drugs.
they did not uphold their end of the bargain.
a little punishment is warranted. no big deal. Will Graves got the same treatment i'm talking about. and if it happens to another Tar Heel, punish them as well
Jimmy Buffett got caught smoking a joint out back behind the bar and the cops took him to jail ... BB
G-ALLIGATOR--AKA-REDPUSSY-69!!
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 19:41 — bluecat69bluecat69BRILLIANT COMMENT, WHAT HAVE U BEEN SMOKING?? I THOUGHT U ONLY DID PBR, GO DUKE-CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!!!
Jimmy Buffett
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 20:19 — Heels20The man
couldn't agree more
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 11:27 — gvillegatrI'd take a Jimmy Buffett concert over any sporting event any day of the week.
The rumor is this is his last tour and he is not coming to NC. There was a time when he would do B2B shows in Raleigh ...
I hope (the rumors) are not true.
They better not be
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 11:42 — Heels20I've seen him in concert about 6 times. Always one of the highlights of the year. The shoutout to Hansbrough at last year's concert wasn't too bad either.
Affirmative Action........
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 18:44 — rlm7950 (not verified)Castrate 'em, throw a little turpentine on it, take a pine brush to their rear end and don't let up until they hit the Wake County line. You'll never hear another thing out of 'em. Then forget about it.
the important question is
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 15:29 — gvillegatrwould these guys have "passed" a drug test when it was given to them??
the answer is an easy one ... YES. the'd a been tipped off or given cleand urine and non one outside the program would have been any wiser.
shame, shame.
to use a word Yar8pack likes to use ... SILLY boys. you guys lost the oppurtunity to use controlled substances when you accepted a scholarship.
I can't imagine these guys not losing their oppurtunity to play football this season.
live and learn.
and, no, UNC football players do not use weed to enhance their college days! ;o)
Not On Campus
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 15:02 — timluckadooOne correction: The College Inn is not on campus and is not managed by NC State. It is privately owned and operated.
You are correct
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 19:21 — jblues1969It is owned by the Wolfpack Club. That's even more damning, if you ask me.
Bad news
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 14:08 — Heels20State's best TE, best OL and best DL? This is not good news at all. You can expect that the whole team will run til they puke...and then run some more.
Tom O'Brien
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 13:42 — jblues1969That Tom O'Brien sure did clean up the NC State program, didn't he? What a disciplinarian. And such a good coach, too, with all the bowl games he's lead NC State to during his time here!
what a dumb comment. it's
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 14:07 — kevmcd86what a dumb comment. it's the coach's job to mold young student athletes on the field and off it, but do you expect him to be hanging out with 19 & 20yr old college student on a friday night till 1am and make sure they dont make poor choices?
give me a break.
TOB is a class act and will address it properly.
Sure he will...
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 19:23 — jblues1969Just like he's dealt properly with Sweezy's last arrest, right? Kid's still on the team, right? Not even suspended?
Yeah, he will.
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 20:53 — JPDOhioAnd Sweezy was suspended.
I wouldn't be surprised to see him off the team after this incident.
more so than some of the other programs
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 13:58 — wjollyjblues..I trust Coach Tom to do the right thing....and depending which school you pull for he has one of two things going for him...if you;re a tarheel fan....thugs U is no competition...y'all have the in house criminal thing down to a fine art...and on the outside chance your a Duke football fan....well you would hopefully be smarter than to start a smack battle over bowl appearances wouuldn't you???
No I'll stand by Coach and what he decides to do..which if you know anything..will be the right thing....unlike some of our neighbors.....
Haha
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 14:04 — Heels20Please back up that thug U comment. Choose your words carefully because the counter argument might force you into depression.
Well, fellas...
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 14:26 — YAR8packRight now, it really doesn't matter which school can be given what moniker. Right now, some NC State players are the individuals who made poor choices.
Yes, EVERY university or college has players who engage in behavior detrimental to the team on any given evening. EVERY university or college. The records are there to prove it.
Now, with the handholding taken care of:
Is this Sweezy kid the same JR Sweezy who has already made two or three poor choices? Well. He probably knows he should already be packed.
The other guys, as far as I can remember, have no criminal records or other altercations at NC State. Hope their grades are good.
Get ready to run, boys. You'll figure it out.
I gotta admit, Bunting was
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 14:16 — TheBigGuyI gotta admit, Bunting was pretty tough on the guys that committed this offense. He mostly kicked them off the squad. He used it as an excuse for his poor performance.
Roy Williams suspended Will Graves for the season for what was "alleged" to be this offense.
I wouldnt call these guys Thugs though.
It will be very painful to our season should TOB choose this same punishment. I suspect Sweezy will be gone for his 2nd offense. We'll see what happens to the others.
Also keep in mind
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 14:20 — Heels20Police are going to report each of the guys that were present unless they admitted on the spot who was responsible for what. As far as we know, a couple of these guys may not even be guilty for anything. If that were the case, they would probably still be disciplined simply for being present and putting themselves in that position, but without the details, we don't necessarily know who was guilty for what.