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Former NBA Player Telfair Arrested On Drug, Weapons Charges In Brooklyn

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A former NBA basketball player was arrested on drug and weapons charges in Brooklyn early Sunday.

Sebastian Telfair, 32, of Orlando, Florida, was pulled over by police at Classon and Atlantic avenues – on the cusp of Clinton Hill, Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights, Brooklyn, around 2:50 a.m. Sunday, police said.

The Ford F150 truck with Florida plates was illegally parked on the median in the location, and proceeded to pull away without headlights, police said.

Upon pulling over the vehicle, police found a burning marijuana cigarette inside, police said.

Telfair and the passenger in the vehicle – Jami Thomas, 18, of Brooklyn – were both directed out of the vehicle and arrested, police said.

Upon searching the vehicle, officers found three loaded firearms, one semi-automatic rifle, a ballistic vest, large quantity of ammunition and two bags of marijuana inside, police said. A computer check also revealed a previous license suspension, police said.

Sebastian Telfair Arrest Weapons
Police say these weapons were found upon the arrest of former NBA player Sebastian Telfair in Brooklyn on Sunday, June 11, 2017. (Credit: NYPD)

Telfair was charged with unlawful possession of a ballistic vest and ammunition magazines, criminal possession of a controlled substance, aggravated unlicensed driving, and a motor vehicle equipment violation, police said.

Thomas faced the same charges except that he was not charged with unlicensed driving.

Telfair, a Brooklyn native, was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2004. He also played for the Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors and Oklahoma City Thunder, as well as professional teams in China.

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