Montana State football player pleads guilty to drug charge

Posted July 20, 2017 7:00 am

The Associated Press

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) - A Montana State football player has pleaded guilty to drug possession after initially being charged with selling the prescription sedative Xanax.

District Judge John Brown gave 20-year-old Darren Gardenhire a four-year deferred sentence after he pleaded guilty Wednesday in a deal with prosecutors.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports (http://bit.ly/2ufF7r4 ) Gardenhire was ordered to pay a $2,500 fine and perform 100 hours of community service.

Gardenhire and former teammate Naijiel Hale were arrested in April after prosecutors said they twice arranged to sale Xanax to a confidential informant.

Hale has pleaded not guilty to criminal distribution of dangerous drugs, tampering with evidence and drug possession.

Both have been suspended from the team.

Gardenhire's attorney, Al Avignone, says he and his client have been in contact with the school and Coach Jeff Choate, and hope that he will rejoin the team.

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Information from: Bozeman Daily Chronicle, http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com

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