Former Brave Jordan Schafer arrested on felony marijuana charge

By George Mathis

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Former Atlanta Brave center fielder Jordan Schafer was smoking marijuana in traffic when arrested early Tuesday on felony marijuana possession charges, Tampa police said.

Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Former Atlanta Brave center fielder Jordan Schafer was arrested early Tuesday in Tampa on felony marijuana possession charges.

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Schafer was with two other people in his 2008 Land Rover when he pulled alongside an unmarked police car at a red light on Columbus Drive and Glen Avenue in Tampa, according to the police report.

Police smelled a "strong odor of marijuana coming from the [open windows of the] vehicle and saw the driver smoking a marijuana blunt," the arresting officer wrote.

Schafer, drafted by the Braves out of Winter Haven High School near Tampa in 2005, pulled over in a Cheescake Factory parking lot and police found a bag containing 25.9 grams (just less than 1 ounce) of marijuana. The cut-off for a misdemeanor charge is 20 grams.

Schafer also had three marijuana peanut butter cups in the car and claimed ownership of all the drugs.

He was taken into custody at 12:38 a.m. and released at 5:15 a.m. after paying a $2,000 cash bond.

The Houston Chronicle reports Schafer, under his Twitter handle @jordanschafer, tweeted he was tailgating at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Monday Night Football game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Schafer, 25, was suspended for 50 games in 2008 for allegedly taking human growth hormone. He was traded to the Astros in 2011 along with three young pitchers for center fielder Michael Bourn.

** Comment in Jeff Schultz's sports blog.