UPDATED: Feb. 13, 12:37 a.m. EST

The brother of Marcus Sales, Syracuse University wide receiver, was sentenced to five years’ probation Friday for a drug case that kept his brother from playing this past season, according to The Post-Standard.

Michael Sales Jr., 25, pleaded guilty to a felony count of fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance in December, admitting that he had possession of hydrocodone with the intent to sell it, according to the Feb. 10 article.

County Judge Anthony Aloi told Michael he had a ‘moral obligation’ to his siblings not to involve them in trouble that would damage their reputations, according to the article.

Sales, 21, and his brother were arrested July 29 after they were pulled over for running a red light near Midland Avenue and Ballantyne Road in Syracuse. Sales was driving the car.

Police found 180 Lortab (hydrocodone and acetaminophen) tablets, three knotted pieces of plastic containing a green plant-like substance that tested positive for marijuana, a plastic cup containing gin, three digital scales and other plastic bags.

Sales faced charges of fifth- and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, unlawful possession of marijuana and violating the city’s open container law. He was suspended from the team soon thereafter.

 The felony drug charges against Sales were dropped in October when a grand jury ruled there was a lack of evidence after his brother took responsibility for the drugs found in the vehicle, according to the article.

Sales is currently a senior in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.

egsawyer@syr.edu

Published on February 10, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Liz: egsawyer@syr.edu | @3sawyer