Penn State's Abdul Carter Charged With Marijuana Possession

The All-Big Ten linebacker was charged following an on-campus incident in August.

Penn State linebacker Abdul Carter was charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession Wednesday, according to court records. University police charged Carter with possession of a small amount of marijuana for personal use following an on-campus incident Aug. 8, according to an online filing.

According to a police report obtained by WJAC TV, Carter admitted to using marijuana after police responded to a dormitory fire alarm. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 4.

"We are aware of the charges against Abdul Carter," a Penn State Athletics spokesperson said in a statement. "These alleged actions do not reflect the values and standards of our program and will be addressed. We will not comment any further as this is an ongoing legal matter."

Penn State coach James Franklin told reporters after practice Wednesday in State College that he handled the situation internally. "This is new to you guys," Franklin said. "It's not new to us, as you can imagine."

In 2016, State College Borough passed an ordinance that gave police the option to issue summary citations for marijuana possession instead of charging individuals with misdemeanors. However, Penn State said that university police must "still follow federal and state laws that consider marijuana use and possession a misdemeanor" for violations committed on campus.

"Because Penn State receives state and federal funding, the University is mandated to enforce state and federal laws," Penn State said in 2016. "University policy prohibits the use or possession of marijuana in any amount on campus. This policy also prohibits the use or possession of medical marijuana."

Carter, 19, is a returning All-Big Ten linebacker for the Lions who led the team in sacks (6.5) as a true freshman in 2022. He made several freshman All-America teams and was a finalist for the Maxwell Football Club's Freshman of the Year Award. Carter started at linebacker in Penn State's 38-15 season-opening victory over West Virginia, making one tackle.

At his weekly press conference Tuesday, Penn State coach James Franklin called Carter "one of the best linebackers in college football."

"I know he wouldn't have the same type of production in the stat sheet that he's had before, but in terms of being a presence on the field, in terms of allowing us to execute the defense at the level that we wanted to execute at, he allowed us to do those things," Franklin said of Carter's play against West Virginia. "But I think you'll see his production continue all season long starting this week just to continue to elevate. I know he's got really high expectations and standards for himself and so do we, but trust me, we're glad he's in there, and we've got to remember he's still a young player, started as a true freshman, so he's still a young player who's growing and learning."

Penn State hosts Delaware at noon ET Saturday.

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