Charges were filed Wednesday against suspended football players Abe Koroma and Maurice Evans in connection with a Sept. 2 marijuana seizure at a Nittany Apartments residence, according to court documents.
Koroma and Evans have been charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana, an ungraded misdemeanor, according to the criminal complaint.
Penn State spokeswoman Lisa Powers confirmed District Judge Carmine Prestia signed the charges at about 2 p.m. Wednesday.
"The charges filed against these two individuals are based on evidence that was collected and information that was obtained through interviews with anyone who would have been in the apartment or anyone connected in any way to the incident," Powers said. "Police did a very thorough investigation, and that's what they based their charges on."
A "small amount" of marijuana was found in apartment 5204 after Penn State Police responded Sept 2. to a report of loud music, police said.
According to the criminal complaint, police found three small plastic baggies containing marijuana and a burnt roach containing marijuana in Evans' room.
In Koroma's room, police found a burnt roach containing marijuana, according to the criminal complaint.
According to the search warrant that cites university housing records and was issued Sept. 2, football players Koroma, Evans, Andrew Quarless and A.J. Wallace live in the apartment.
Quarless, Wallace and student Aristides A. Nova (senior-engineering) were listed as being at the residence at the time of the incident in the search warrant.
Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira said the charges can carry a penalty of up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine of $500. Typically, he said, this type of case is resolved with either a plea deal and a probationary sentence or an alternative solution such as the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program.
Madeira said the charges filed Wednesday are appropriate. He added other charges could be filed if new information is uncovered.
Powers said the information about the incident will most likely be turned over to the Office of Judicial Affairs, which will determine if charges need to be filed through the university for anyone involved. Judicial Affairs will look into the matter to determine if anyone, including Koroma or Evans, involved in the incident violated the student code of conduct, Powers said.
Prestia authorized a search of the apartment at 10:59 p.m. Sept. 2 after police reported a strong smell of marijuana permeating the residence, according to the search warrant.
Koroma and Evans were suspended from the team after the incident and did not play against Oregon State or Syracuse University. It's unclear if they will play this weekend against Temple.
Sports information director Jeff Nelson said Wednesday afternoon he is not aware of any change in Koroma's or Evans' current status on the field. Joe Paterno declined to comment about Evans and Koroma at a press conference this week.
Penn State Police directed all questions to the university's public information office.
