A football player that remains off the Virginia Tech team has entered a plea of not guilty of charges he distributed marijuana earlier this year.
Linebacker Tavante Beckett was a Four-Star recruit from Virginia Beach and had played in several ball games this season.
Thursday in Christiansburg’s Montgomery County General District Court, Beckett pleaded not guilty and the judge amended a felony charge of conspiracy to sell/distribute marijuana to a misdemeanor. He also faced a second misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana.
Police said they found several smoked marijuanna joints in a trash can belonging to Beckett’s residence and later upon a search of his town home found items associated with illegal drug activity.
The court ruled a deferred disposition in the case, which is a way of having the charge dismissed after satisfactory completion of a probationary period.
Beckett will have to serve 100 hours of community service and if he stays out of trouble for up to a year, the charges will be dismissed.
His attorney Jimmy Turk said his client hopes to come back to the university and possibly even to the football team.
Coach Justin Fuente is on the recruiting trail and was unable to comment on the matter, and a Virginia Tech spokesman had no comment.
— Staff reports
