Determination on charges in Green-Beckham’s arrest could take months

If criminal charges for drug possession are ever filed against Missouri sophomore wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, they are likely months away, Springfield Police said Monday.

Green-Beckham was arrested Friday in Springfield after the vehicle he was riding in was stopped by police, who discovered marijuana and drug paraphernalia during a subsequent search.

The police will forward the suspected marijuana to a state lab for confirmation, a process that could take as long as six months, said Lisa Cox, a public affairs officer for the Springfield Police.

“I don’t believe anything will be determined until then,” Cox said of when the police could forward their investigation to the county prosecutor, who will determine if anyone is charged.

“Six months is kind of the max time. It could be two months.”

Cox also confirmed that there were no other drugs found in the vehicle in which Green-Beckham was a passenger.

Shortly before 10 p.m. Friday, Springfield Police stopped a 1999 Jeep Cherokee driven by John W. McDaniel, 22, for an expired plate tab. The arresting officer smelled the odor of marijuana and found nearly one pound of pot in the vehicle during a search.

McDaniel, Green-Beckham, 20, and Patrick W. Prouty, 20, were taken into custody and booked at Greene County Jail for distribution of a controlled substance, a felony. All three were released early Saturday morning.

“This kind of stuff happens every day,” Cox said. “It’s a little more blown up because of who’s involved.”

McDaniel told the Springfield News-Leader that the marijuana didn’t belong to him or Green-Beckham.

Green-Beckham is a Springfield native who graduated from Hillcrest High School, where he set national high school records for receiving yards with 6,353 and receiving touchdowns with 75.

He put together a breakout second season with the Tigers with a team-high 59 catches, including a team-leading 12 touchdowns, for 883 yards.

It is Green-Beckham’s second arrest in 15 months for a marijuana-related incident. He was arrested in October 2012 along with teammates Levi Copelin and Torey Boozer after police saw the three smoking pot in a campus parking lot near Memorial Stadium.

Those charges, which were misdemeanors, were later reduced to second-degree trespassing.

Missouri Athletics policy requires a player who is facing felony charges to be suspended, but Green-Beckham hasn’t been formally charged and remains eligible for all team activities.

This story was originally published January 13, 2014 at 4:12 PM with the headline "Determination on charges in Green-Beckham’s arrest could take months."