Patriots' Jack Jones reaches deal with prosecutors to drop weapons charges

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) – New England Patriots defensive back Jack Jones has agreed to serve one year of probation and 48 hours of community service in exchange for prosecutors dropping eight of the nine weapons charges he faced in connection with his June arrest at a security checkpoint at Boston’s Logan Airport for allegedly having two loaded guns in his carry-on bag.

The deal was reached during a hearing Tuesday in Boston Municipal court.

Jones, 25, was arrested in June after two firearms were found in what police identified as being his carry-on luggage. He was charged with two counts each of unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm, possession of a large-capacity magazine and possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card. He was also charged with an airport security violation.

Tuesday’s court filing showed that the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office dropped all the weapons charges. He received pre-trial probation for the security violation.

In a motion stating its decision not to continue to pursue the case further, the state attorney’s office said it determined it couldn’t prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt “that Mr. Jones had knowledge that he possessed the firearms in his bag at the time of the incident.”

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“He is grateful to have this incident resolved and he is looking forward to Sunday night’s game,” Jones' attorney, Rosemary Scapicchio, wrote in an email to The Associated Press.

While this is the end of Jones’ legal case, it’s yet to be determined whether he will face further discipline under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Jones has spoken only briefly since his arrest, referring all questions on his case to his attorney.

“When I get out here on the football field, it’s all ball,” Jones said in August. “I just come out here to play ball and give it my all, and do what I’m supposed to for the team.”

Despite his pending case he made the Patriots’ initial 53-man roster.

New England opens the regular season Sunday at home against the Philadelphia Eagles.