Not at all a big deal in his team’s home state, and up to 10 years in prison in another state. Good, logical system.
Top Padres catching prospect Luis Campusano is in some trouble after being arrested in Georgia for something that might’ve gotten him a $500 fine in California:
Padres' Luis Campusano charged with felony marijuana possession in Georgia https://t.co/Aj7ABf9W0N
— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) October 20, 2020
Per the report:
According to the police report, 79 grams of marijuana was discovered in Campusano’s car when he was pulled over shortly after 5 a.m. in Grovetown, Ga., near his hometown of Augusta.
Georgia law states possession of more than one ounce (28.35 grams) of marijuana is a felony and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. (In California, possession of 79 grams would be considered a misdemeanor and be punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a $500 fine.)
Campusano, 22, is a top 50 prospect in baseball, and one of the best in the loaded Padres’ system. The 2017 second rounder exploded at High-A in 2019, and then wound up getting a one-game cup of coffee this past season, and he homered for good measure. He was also placed on the team’s postseason rosters, for additional context on how good he is.
As for what happens next, at the risk of moralizing too much, we’re talking about a drug that is legal in so many parts of the country. It would be asinine for Campusano to suffer life-altering consequences from allegedly doing something that was, at worst, really stupid (and dangerous to no one). He’ll have to work his way through the legal system, but it’s not certain he’ll face significant punishment from MLB or the Padres. Notably, marijuana was removed as a banned substance by the league last year, and a player like Campusano might instead receive counseling/treatment/etc., rather than some monster suspension.
As for that legal system, this might be a good opportunity for some prosecutorial discretion. Just because you CAN push for prison time doesn’t mean it’s always wise or fair or just to do so.