UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - Cleveland Cavaliers star Delonte West was indicted Tuesday on eight counts, including six gun charges, related to his Sept. 17 arrest on the Capital Beltway.
West was pulled over after making an unsafe lane change while driving northbound on a three-wheel motorcycle, police said. Investigators say West, 26, had a loaded 9mm Beretta pistol tucked in his pocket, a loaded .357 magnum Ruger revolver strapped to his leg, an 8.5 inch knife and a pistol-grip shotgun in a guitar case slung over his back. West was carrying 112 shotgun shells, police said.
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"Too many people are carrying guns illegally and what used to be a fist fight turns into a gun fight and someone ends up dead. So we've ramped up our prosecutions on guns," said Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn Ivey.
West has battled bipolar disorder and his wife filed a domestic violence report against him last week. No charges have been filed in relation to thAfter his arrest, West's father was quoted in the Washington Post as saying West needed the guns for protection.
“I read what his father said in the paper and I'll have to defer to their camp on that,” Ivey said. ”It’s something we take seriously and we'll be moving forward with the case.”
Sources close to the investigation said West was not carrying any identification when he was arrested, only a wallet with a picture of West as a child with his mother.
The indictment lists two counts of carrying a dangerous weapon, two counts of carrying a handgun, two counts of transporting a handgun, one count of reckless driving, and one count of negligent driving.
If convicted, West faces up to three years on each of the six weapons charges, Ivey said.
West was initially charged with just two counts of carrying a handgun and with driving in excess of reasonable and prudent speed.
Court records don't list a lawyer for West. His agent, Noah Croom, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
West, who could still face a league suspension over the charges in Maryland, made his season debut during Saturday night's 90-79 win against Charlotte, scoring 13 points in 24 minutes. He was expected to play in Tuesday night's game against Washington.
Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry, who along with team doctors has been handling West's delicate state on a daily basis, issued a statement following the release of the new charges against West.
"It is our understanding that today's developments are part of the legal process that continues to take place with Delonte and he and his legal counsel will handle that," Ferry said. "We will continue to take this matter very seriously and monitor and respect the legal process as it proceeds, but not speculate or comment about it."
Cavs coach Mike Brown didn't want to speculate on the possibility of West doing jail time.
"I believe in the process, I'm going to let it unfold and go from there," Brown said.
After the arrest, West reported to training camp on time but missed the team's first four practices without an excuse. He returned, but then left the team for a week to deal with personal matters. He missed all eight preseason games and Cleveland's first three regular-season games.
Ivey said West will likely be arraigned by the end of the week, and the case could go to trial early next year.
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