New England Patriots defensive back Jack Jones pleaded not guilty Tuesday to nine counts of weapons violations in connection with his arrest at a Logan Airport security checkpoint with two loaded guns in his carry-on bag.
PATRIOTS’ JACK JONES APPEARED TO CRITICIZE JA MORANT’S GUN DRAMA BEFORE NFL PLAYER’S OWN WEAPONS ARREST
Jones was charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm, possession of a high-capacity magazine and possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card. He was also charged with an airport security breach. Jones was released on $30,000 cash bond pending a probable cause hearing on Aug. 18, his attorney, Rosemary Scapicchio, said.
New England Patriots DB Jack Jones celebrates after forcing an incompletion against Cleveland Browns WR Amari Cooper. The Patriots beat the Browns, 38-15. (Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Scapicchio said Jones has been cooperative and respectful throughout the process, chafing at media reports portraying him as a «thug» and comparing him to «other people.»
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When asked if he was referring to Aaron Hernandez, the Patriots player who was convicted of first-degree murder in 2013 and acquitted in a separate double homicide, Scapicchio declined to elaborate.
«All Mr. Jones wants to do is play football and support his family,» he said. «The way he’s been portrayed in some of the media is not remotely confirmed. He’s not a thug, he’s not a wannabe gang member. Comparisons to other people are unwarranted and unfair.»
A Patriots spokesman said the team was not expected to comment until the legal issues are resolved.
Jack Jones #13 of the New England Patriots reacts after a defensive stoppage during the game against the Detroit Lions at Gillette Stadium on October 9, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
Massachusetts State Police were called to the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at the Boston airport Friday after two firearms were found in a traveler’s carry-on luggage. Police said they identified the person as Jones and arrested him.
Jones’s problems predate his arrival in New England.
While in college, he was cut from the Southern California football team in 2018 after two seasons due to academic problems. Later that year he served 45 days of house arrest after police said he stole a Panda Express. After transferring to Arizona State, Jones was suspended for the majority of the 2020 season due to a team rule violation.
New England Patriots DB Jack Jones intercepts a first quarter pass intended for Detroit Lions TE TJ Hockenson. The Patriots defeated the Lions, 29-0. (Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
The Patriots selected Jones in the fourth round of the 2022 draft and he played in 13 games, two starts, with 30 tackles and two interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. He was suspended for two games at the end of the season for reasons that coach Bill Belichick did not disclose.
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Hernandez’s arrest in 2013 led to a reckoning within the Patriots organization, with the usually reticent Belichick vowing to improve the way the team evaluates players «to build a winning football team, be a strong pillar in the community and to be a team our fans can be proud of.»