Tom GantertBrooklyn, NY – A New York jury convicted former National Basketball Association (NBA) star Sebastian Telfair of felony criminal possession of a firearm on Wednesday and now the point guard is facing up to 15 years in prison.
Telfair, 33, was arrested in Brooklyn in June of 2017 after police stopped his vehicle for driving with the headlights off, Sports Illustrated reported.
As officers approached Telfair’s car, they smelled marijuana. And then the car tried to drive away.
But police were able to stop them and then found a lit marijuana joint burning on the car’s dashboard, according to Sports Illustrated.
Telfair and his 18-year-old passenger were arrested.
A search of the car revealed that Telfair had three loaded pistols and a loaded semi-automatic rifle, TMZ reported.
Police also found ammunition and a bulletproof vest in the car, plus two bags of marijuana during the search.
Telfair pleaded not guilty to the gun-related charges but was convicted by a jury on April 24, TMZ reported.
The former basketball star is due back in court for sentencing in June.
He is facing up to 15 years in prison on the charges, according to TMZ.
The NBA player has a history of gun-related offenses.
Telfair was suspended for two games by the NBA in 2006 after he brought a gun on a team flight while he was playing for the Portland Trailblazers, according to The Oregonian.
The weapon violated the league’s policy.
In 2007, the basketball star was playing for the Boston Celtics when he was arrested after police found a loaded gun in his car, according to NBA.com.
Telfair was sentenced to three years of probation in 2008 in connection with that incident.
The point guard played for eight different teams in 10 seasons in the NBA and made $19 million in salary during his career, according to Sports Illustrated.
Telfair was a McDonalds High School All-American and jumped directly to the NBA from high school.
He played his last NBA game with the Oklahoma City Thunder in November of 2014, Sports Illustrated reported.
Telfair is the cousin of former NBA superstar Stephon Marbury.