ATHENS — Georgia football players Brenton Cox and Robert Beal Jr. were arrested after marijuana was found in their room on Tuesday, according to a University of Georgia Police Department report issued on Wednesday.
Cox and Beal, both 19 years old, were charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana after less than one ounce was found in each of their Rooker Hall dorm rooms on campus.
“Multiple portions of loose marijuana” were found in an Outback Steakhouse bag next to the door, and more portions of marijuana were found in a purple Allstate Sugar Bowl box on a small dresser in Cox’s room, according to the report.
There was also marijuana found in Beal’s room, including some on a leaf platter that had rolling papers and read “420,” per the report.
Both Cox and Beal were present while the search was conducted. Both Georgia football players verbally acknowledged the appearance of the illegal substance before being read their Miranda Rights and being handcuffed and taken to the Clarke County Jail.
The Athens-Clarke County Booking recap reflects Cox and Beal were arrested at 3:13 p.m. Both posted $1,000 bond, Cox released at 4:08 p.m. and Beal at 4:21 p.m.
The search warrant had been requested and signed at 11:18 a.m. on Wednesday after a residence hall director noticed what he believed was marijuana on a dresser in Cox’s room shortly after 10 a.m., according to the report.
The residence hall director was in the room accompanying a worker who was following up on maintenance call to fix the toilet in Cox’s room.
The University of Georgia Police Department was notified of the appearance of marijuana.
Upon their arrival, officers detected the smell of marijuana and traced it to the rooms belong to Cox and Beal, triggering the request for a search warrant.
Georgia football coach Kirby Smart said his players need to realize they must follow rules and not break laws.
“They have to learn as young men that you can’t break the rules, you can’t break the law,” Smart said. “Obviously our guys have not done a good job of that, and that all falls on me, and we’re going to do a great job of moving forward to get these guys in the right place to make the right decisions.”
Georgia has had six players arrested on varying misdemeanor charges the past six weeks, something Smart said is extremely disappointing.
“I’m obviously extremely disappointed, I’ve obviously done a poor job with this group of connecting and making sure they listen and understand things,” Smart said.
“We have polices and rules in place, these guys violated those policies and rules and they will serve the punishment that they deserve for it, and I hate the decision they made.”
Cox, a sophomore, posted on social media on Tuesday night, hours after being released from jail.
Cox’s message was that “Some of us are facing hard obstacles in life that other people are making even harder, My life different.”
Smart indicated that, regardless of the fluid nature of marijuana legislation across the country, Georgia football players know the rules.
“I understand where you’re coming from, but it doesn’t change when it’s, A, against the law,” Smart said, (and), “it’s against the NCAA rules, and every player on this team knows that and understands that.”
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