Jarret Stoll’s playing career isn’t the only thing that’s in jeopardy, thanks to his arrest in Las Vegas this April; he also may have his freedom to worry about. The 32-year-old Los Angeles Kings forward (and longtime boyfriend of sideline reporter Erin Andrews) is reportedly facing a felony drug possession charge with the possibility of a significant jail sentence. If convicted, Stoll may spend up to four years in prison.
The criminal complaint — reported by the Los Angeles Times‘ Lisa Dillman — stems from Stoll’s April 18 arrest outside of Las Vegas club Wet Republic, where he was found in possession of cocaine and ecstasy. It appears the consequences are quite severe if you’re negligent enough to get singled out with party drugs in Vegas.
Stoll just completed a three-year, $9.75 million contract with the Kings and is set to become an unrestricted free agent in July. Even if he manages to escape time behind bars, there’s no guarantee he’ll be able to offset his legal fees with a new NHL contract in the near future.
Update: Stoll’s felony charge has been lessened to two misdemeanors, according to Dillman. Instead of prison time, he’ll be required to serve 32 hours of community service over the next 120 days. Stoll released a statement regarding the punishment.
“Now that the case has been resolved, I am committed to meeting all of my obligations to the court and am grateful for the chance to offer guidance and share positive life lessons to kids as part of the resolution of this matter,” Stoll stated. “My focus remains on hockey, and I am looking forward to getting back on the ice next season.”
(Via theScore & Bleacher Report)
