| Photo: soulhonky.com |
| NBA Grizzlies star Zach Randolph now has four fewer vehicles than he had a few days ago. |
NBA player Zach Randolph has been linked to a man accused of selling marijuana in Indianapolis, police claimed Wednesday. A lawyer for Randolph said the star player for the Memphis Grizzlies had “no knowledge” of his friend’s alleged role in dealing pot.
“Zach Randolph is not a party to any drug conspiracy of any type,” said attorney John Tompkins on Thursday. “If somebody says he is, they are either lying or they don’t know what they heck they are talking about,” reports Vic Ryckaert at IndyStar.com.
But Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department detectives claim Randolph provided cars and a house to Arthur Boyd, who is charged with selling marijuana. Randolph himself has not been arrested or charged, and IMPD officials claim he is “not the target” of a drug investigation.
Despite that statement, police Detective Ryan Graber described Randolph as a “financier” for drug dealers in Indianapolis, according to court documents filed in Boyd’s case.
The Grizzlies released a statement on Thursday supporting Randolph.
| Photo: Cleveland.com |
”Unless some other information surfaces, Zach remains a valued member of the Grizzlies family and Memphis commnity,” said Chris Wallace, vice president of basketball operations and general manager for the team.
Boyd, 32, was arrested for possession and selling of marijuana on May 11. Police claim he was driving a 2008 Cadillac Escalade, registered to Randolph, at the time of his arrest.
Detectives claim they are basing their case on information received from a confidential informant, according to court documents. Randolph’s lawyer, Tompkins, said the snitch is either intentionally or unintentionally misleading the police.
Police seized Randolph’s Escalade that Boyd was driving and also grabbed three of Randolph’s custom Chevrolet Impalas that were located in a Hamilton County storage facility, which was also registered to Randolph.
Forfeiture procedures have begun on the vehicles, which police claim were used in the pot dealing operation.
Randolph will “strongly contest” the forfeiture, according to attorney Tompkins.
The Grizzlies star was arrested in 2003 for driving under the influence after Portland, Oregon police stopped him them smelled marijuana coming from his 2003 Escalade.
Last year, Randolph was arrested for driving while drunk in Los Angeles.