Mike Goodson’s season is over, but his legal troubles aren’t.
The Jets running back, on season-ending injured reserve with a torn left ACL and MCL, was indicted on weapons charges, Morris Country Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp announced Thursday afternoon.
Goodson, 26, and Garant Evans were both indicted after an investigation revealed the two allegedly possessed firearms and illegal ammunition. Evans also was indicted for being in possession of a firearm in violation of a state statute prohibiting certain individuals convicted of crimes from possessing a firearm.
“It’s something that we fully expected — it’s the next step in the process,” said Tony Fusco, Goodson’s attorney. “We welcome it. We’re going to fight it and in the end he’s going to be exonerated. He didn’t have the gun.”
There will be an arraignment in the coming weeks and likely a trial, Fusco said, unless the prosecutor’s office is willing to dismiss the gun charges.
“It’s going to go to trial and they are going to lose because the co-defendant has acknowledged ownership of the gun,” Fusco said.
Goodson faces up to 11-12 years in prison if convicted of both charges.
“The worst-case scenario is potential jail time, but that’s not going to happen,” Fusco said. “We want a dismissal and he will be exonerated.”
The Jets signed Goodson to a three-year, $6.9 million contract in March. The former Raider missed much of training camp and was suspended for the first four games of the year after violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. He made his debut Oct. 7 in Atlanta, but was lost for the year the following week in an Oct. 13 loss to the Steelers and placed on IR two days later.
Police say on May 17 at 3:15 a.m. they responded to a vehicle that was stopped in the middle of Interstate 80 West in Denville, N.J. Evans was the driver and Goodson was in the front passenger seat. The ensuing investigation recovered a loaded Taurus .45 caliber handgun from the glove box. One of the rounds of ammunition in the handgun was a hollow point bullet.
Goodson and Evans were indicted on charges of second degree unlawful possession of a weapon and fourth degree prohibited weapons and devices. Evans was also indicted on charges of second degree certain persons not to have weapons.