White Could Face One Year in Jail If Convicted of Misdemeanor Charge

Ram running back Charles White, charged with being under the influence of a controlled substance, could get up to a year in jail if convicted, a prosecutor said Thursday.

White, the 1979 Heisman Trophy winner from USC, was arrested by Brea police Aug. 21 after he was found wandering in a field. He was formally charged Wednesday with a misdemeanor.

White, who remains free without bail, was scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 23 in North Orange County Municipal Court, Deputy District Attorney John Peterson said.

If convicted, White, 29, faces a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine, or he could be sentenced to a minimum 90-day jail term and be granted probation.

Police have said they suspect White was under the influence of cocaine because of his comments and behavior when arrested. Peterson declined to elaborate.

“The police did take a blood sample. On these kinds of cases, any time that evidence is obtained, we can not comment on it ethically. It’s nothing specific about Mr. White, it would apply to any case of this nature,” he said.

White returned to practice Aug. 26 and is undergoing a drug rehabilitation program supervised by Dr. Forest Tennant, a drug adviser to the NFL.

The outpatient program involves daily drug testing and continuous counseling. If White fails one test, the Rams have said his career with the team is over.