Associated Press
ST. LOUIS -- Former Patriots running back Laurence Maroney has been arrested in St. Louis on drugs andweapons allegations. His publicist said Tuesday that he did nothingwrong.
Maroney was traded to the Broncos after the first week of the season.
St. Louis police said five people inan Infiniti Q56 were arrested Monday night. Police declined to name thesuspects but said all five are accused of possessing marijuana. Three,including a 25-year-old man, were accused of unlawful use of a weapon.Maroney, 25, is a native of suburban St. Louis. No one has beenformally charged.Maroney's publicist, Jane Higgins,confirmed that he was one of those arrested in the Infiniti on theweapons allegation. She denied Maroney was arrested for drugs."He holds a permit to carry aconcealed weapon," Higgins said in a statement. "He was not arrestedfor any drugs nor was he involved in a high-speed chase. He wasreleased without being charged with any offense and we do notanticipate he will be charged with any criminal offense."Police spokeswoman Erica Van Rosssaid one of the men had a valid concealed weapon permit but that statelaw prohibits possessing a gun while under the influence of drugs. Shedeclined to elaborate.Van Ross said the process of seeking charges could take up to a month.Broncos spokesman Patrick Smyth said, "We're aware of the matter but have no additional comment at this time."Van Ross said that around 10:30 p.m.Monday, officers saw three vehicles near Chaifetz Arena causing trafficto slow because the vehicles repeatedly stopped so occupants could talkto people on the street. Officers also suspected those in the vehicleswere smoking marijuana.Officers pulled over the Infiniti and a GMC Yukon; the third vehicle fled.Van Ross said that inside theInfiniti officers found three weapons - a .45-caliber handgun, a 9mmpistol and a .223 -caliber rifle - along with a substance believed tobe marijuana. Five of the six people in the Infiniti were arrested andreleased pending application of warrants, Van Ross said.Five other people were in the Yukon. One of them, a 28-year-old man, was arrested for being a felon in possession of a weapon.New England chose Maroney with the21st overall pick in the 2006 draft. He was acquired by former Broncoscoach Josh McDaniels for a fourth-round draft pick on Sept. 14, one ofseveral personnel miscalculations that helped lead to McDaniels' Dec. 6ouster.Maroney was injured when he arrivedin Denver and played in just four games for the Broncos, rushing 36times for 74 yards and a paltry 2.1-yard average. He didn't play in thefinal 10 games of the season, the last eight of which he wasdeactivated.The running back spent his firstfour seasons with the Patriots, where he averaged 4.2 yards a carrywith 21 touchdown runs and 10.2 yards per catch with one TD reception.His best season was 2009, when he set career highs with 194 carries andnine touchdowns.He is in the final year of his contract, and his future with the Broncos is uncertain.Maroney's arrest is the latest in a series of legal troubles involving Broncos players.Linebacker D.J. Williams wasstripped of his captaincy following his second drunken driving arrestlast season, rookie cornerback Perrish Cox faces charges in a sexualassault case, and rookie linebacker Kevin Alexander was waived hoursafter he was arrested on a domestic violence allegation last month.Maroney was a standout at NormandyHigh School in St. Louis County, and has remained active in the St.Louis community during his NFL career. Recently, he has been helpingvictims of a New Year's Eve tornado that struck the area where he grewup. And last summer, he gave out 3,000 backpacks filled with schoolsupplies to St. Louis students.