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Jaguars’ receiver in pickle

Police report finding cocaine, drug gear in Matt Jones’ car


Jones
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.—Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Matt Jones faces a felony drug charge in his former college town after police say officers found him cutting up cocaine with a credit card Thursday morning.

Jones, 25, as well as two other men, were inside a Toyota 4Runner in Fayetteville just after 12:40 a.m. Thursday when officers approached. In a report, officers allege they saw a card covered in a white powder in Jones’ lap as he used a Foot Locker credit card to scrape it.

Officers opened the door and ordered Jones to put his hands in the air. According to the report, Jones kept his left hand out of view, forcing at least one officer to draw his handgun.

Jones was a star quarterback at Arkansas, throwing for 5,857 yards and running for 2,535. He was a first-round draft pick in 2005, and the Jaguars used him at wide receiver.

Jones, as well as Jared Hicks, 25, and Benjamin Cook, 26, were arrested. Hicks is also a former Razorback.

Officers say they searched the sport-utility vehicle and found a plastic bag filled with a white substance that tested positive for cocaine and a jar with possible marijuana residue inside.

Officers questioned Jones, who acknowledged the white powder was cocaine, the police report said.

Police said 6 grams of cocaine was found. The threshold for potential charges of possession with intent to deliver is 1 gram. However, prosecutor John Threet said there is no evidence that Jones intended to deal the drug.

Jones was released from the Washington County jail at 11:15 a.m. Thursday on $2,500 bond. His arraignment on a charge of felony possession of a controlled substance was set for Aug. 11, two days after Jacksonville’s preseason opener against Atlanta.

The team was waiting to learn details of the case before commenting.

“We’re trying to investigate that now,” Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver said of Jones’ arrest. “We don’t have all the facts. We will comment on that once we have all the facts.”

Officers allege Hicks had a small plastic straw coated with suspected cocaine behind his ear. Both Cook and Hicks face misdemeanor charges of possession of drug paraphernalia. Jailers said neither were incarcerated Thursday morning.

Jones caught 77 passes for 1,075 yards and nine touchdowns in his first two pro seasons, but he struggled in 2007. Early last season, Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio publicly questioned Jones’ on-the-field demeanor, indicating Jones was taking plays off and pouting when he didn’t get the ball.



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