Five Notre Dame Football Players Arrested For Marijuana And Handgun Possession
CHICAGO (CBS) – Five men were arrested Friday night in Peru, Ind. for possession of marijuana. Three of the men are also facing a charge for possession of a handgun without a license.
The five men were out of jail by 1 p.m. Saturday, after their overnight arrest, KSBT in South Bend reports. Police confirm they are all Notre Dame football players. Another player was arrested in St. Joseph County, according to Notre Dame's student newspaper.
The men arrested were Ashton White, 19, Clinton, Md.; Floyd Redfield, 21, Mission Viejo, Calif.; Kevin Stepherson Jr,. 18, Jacksonville, Fla.; Dexter Williams, 19, Winder Garden, Fla.; and Te'Von Coney, 19, West Palm Beach, Fla.
All five were incarcerated in the Fulton County jail to face a misdemeanor charge for possession of marijuana. Redfield, Stepherson Jr. and Williams face an additional charge for possession of a handgun without a license, police said.
An Indiana State Trooper initiated a traffic stop for a 2007 Ford Focus on U.S. 31, near Fulton County Road 375 North, for traveling 73 miles per hours in a posted 60 miles-per-hour zone. The Ford also had an improper taillight, Indiana State Police said in a statement.
While the trooper was speaking with the driver, White, he smelled marijuana coming from the car. The trooper used his narcotics-detecting police dog to conduct a free air sniff around the Ford. The dog indicated the presence of illegal narcotics, police said in a statement. During a search of the car, officer found marijuana and a loaded handgun.
All five names and hometowns match players on the Notre Dame football roster. Another player was arrested in St. Joseph County, near campus.
Senior cornerback Devin Butler was arrested and booked Saturday morning on preliminary charges of battery against a police officer and resisting law enforcement, said the St. Joseph County jail.
Notre Dame's Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications, Paul Browne, issued a statement in response to these arrests.
"Any student arrested on a felony charge also faces dismissal from the university," Browne said. "The university will determine if additional sanctions should apply to any or all of the students charged."