Former UC, NBA star to serve year in prison

Corie Blount sentenced on charges he had nearly 30 pounds of marijuana.

Former UC star and NBA player Corie Blount was sentenced to a year in prison Wednesday, May 13, 2009.

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By Josh Sweigart, Staff Writer Updated 1:17 AM Thursday, May 14, 2009

HAMILTON — Celebrity and high-profile praise weren’t enough to keep former University of Cincinnati and NBA player Corie Blount out of prison for possession of nearly 30 pounds of marijuana.

Butler County Common Pleas Judge Craig Hedric sentenced Blount on Wednesday, May 13, to one year behind bars and five years probation on two counts of possession of marijuana. The drugs were found in his and his grandmother’s homes in Liberty Twp. in December.

The 40-year-old, a former Bearcat center, also was ordered to pay $10,000 in fines and serve 250 hours of community service — speaking to children about the dangers of drug use — and he lost his driver’s license for three years.

He already had two cars and $34,409 in cash confiscated. The charges carried a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.

Blount avoided trafficking charges as part of his plea agreement. But Hedric said he was skeptical about Blount’s claim that he was going to, “as you say, ‘Kick it and smoke all this dope.’ ”

“Cheech and Chong would have a hard time smoking that much,” Hedric said, repeatedly marveling that, “that’s a lot of marijuana.”

Defense attorney Anthony VanNoy said he was disappointed with the sentence.

“He’s a young man who’s had a law-abiding life who has devoted many hours time to worthy causes and children,” VanNoy said.

Before the sentencing, VanNoy filed letters from Blount’s family, minister and former UC basketball coach Bob Huggins, who asked the judge to “see the good in this young man.”

Blount helped UC reach the Final Four in 1992 and the Elite Eight in 1993. A first-round draft pick of the Chicago Bulls, he had an 11-year NBA career while playing for eight teams.

But Hedric said Blount’s stature played no part in the sentencing and said he found fault with Blount’s testimony during the investigation, which he called “at times inconsistent and contradictory.”

“You will be treated like any other person who comes in front of me who has 30 pounds of marijuana,” Hedric said.

Former UC coach Bob Huggins among those to vouch for basketball great

At 6-feet, 10-inches tall, Corie Blount stood out in the courtroom Wednesday, May 13, as Butler County Common Pleas Judge Craig Hedric told him he’ll be spending a year in prison and three years on probation for possession of nearly 30 pounds of marijuana.

Before that, he stood out in the community, as a seemingly model father and a mentor, his friends and family said.

Before that, he stood out on the basketball court as a star player for the University of Cincinnati followed by an 11-year NBA career.

Blount, now of Liberty Twp., apologized Wednesday to his family, fans and community before the sentencing.

“This was one incident where I made a bad decision. I just want you to know I’ll do everything possible to correct it, and I’ll never do anything to put me in this situation again,” he said.

In arguing for a lighter sentence, defense attorney Anthony VanNoy filed a lengthy memorandum stating probation was a common sentence in possession cases and is fitting considering Blount’s clean record.

He also detailed Blount’s life, growing up on welfare in a gang-infested area and moving on to become a star athlete, college graduate and devoted family man.

Included were letters from former UC basketball coach Bob Huggins, vouching for Blount’s character.

“(Blount) is a great person who still has the capacity to help many young people out there,” Huggins wrote. “He can use this experience as an opportunity to better others as well as himself.”

Another letter came from one of Blount’s five children.

“I think my dad should not go to jail because he buys the food and cooks it, he helps me with my homework, he buys me gifts, helps me when I am sick, comes to my birthday, plays with me, and I love him,” his son wrote.

In addition to the prison sentence, probation, fines and the loss of his driver’s license, Hedric sentenced Blount to spend 250 hours of community service speaking to children about the danger of drugs.

This is an opportunity, Hedric said, for Blount to stand out again.

“Your status in the community, I think, will lend some weight and authority behind the message,” he said.

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