A.J. Green jersey buyer facing drug charges

By Alexis Stevens

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The man accused of buying UGA receiver A.J. Green's jersey is facing drug charges from an April 2009 arrest in Georgia.

Chris Hawkins, 28, is charged with felony trafficking of cocaine and misdemeanor marijuana possession stemming from the incident, according to the Georgia State Patrol. Hawkins spent 20 days in jail before posting $50,000 bond.

The former North Carolina and Marshall defensive back, who bought the jersey that led to Green's four-game NCAA suspension, is due in court on the drug charges next month.

Green has missed two games for selling the Independence Bowl jersey for $1,000. An NCAA committee is expected to hear Georgia's appeal of the suspension Friday. Unless the suspension is shortened, Green will have to sit out Saturday’s game against Arkansas and the Sept. 25 game at Mississippi State.

Hawkins was stopped by state patrol on I-20 in Morgan County, about 65 miles southeast of Atlanta, for not wearing his seat belt, according to the incident report. Hawkins told deputies he was traveling from Miami to North Carolina to bring furniture for his brother. But deputies were suspicious because the route would not have required him to be on I-20, the report states.

Hawkins declined to allow a deputy search the rented truck, but a trained K-9 alerted the officers to the possibility of drugs. In addition to two bags of marijuana in Hawkins' shorts pockets, deputies uncovered 96 grams of crack cocaine in a white sack that been covered in peanut butter, black pepper and duct tape, according to the report.

The truck Hawkins was driving had been rented by Willie Parker, a former North Carolina and Pittsburgh Steelers running back.

Hawkins has said he is not an agent, but only wanted Green's jersey because he collects them.