Former Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Greg Robinson is facing federal drug charges after federal agents say they found 157 pounds of marijuana in his rental car at a border checkpoint in El Paso, Texas, on Monday, a statement from the Department of Justice said.
Robinson, 27, was arrested alongside his former teammate at Auburn University,Quan Bray, 26, at the Sierra Blanca checkpoint near the United States and Mexico border this week. According to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Robinson and Bray were driving from Los Angeles to Louisiana in a rented sports utility vehicle, along with an unidentified passenger, when their vehicle passed a Border Patrol agent whose drug sniffing dog alerted to the scent of marijuana. The agent radioed ahead to the checkpoint located near Sierra Blanca, Texas, and Robinson and Bray were stopped by agents and sent to a secondary inspection area.
"A subsequent inspection of the vehicle by agents revealed the presence of approximately 157 pounds of marijuana inside several large duffel bags in the rear cargo area," a release from the Department of Justice said.
Agents discovered several large duffel bags containing vacuum-sealed black bags filled with marijuana. Glass jars and packaging equipment was also found inside the vehicle.
Bray was reportedly driving the vehicle at the time they approached the border crossing, but records show that Robinson rented the car in Los Angeles for a road trip to Louisiana. According to the release, Robinson initially tried to arrange for an Uber driver he met in 2018 to drive the vehicle, but Bray switched to the driver's seat before the border checkpoint in El Paso.
When the trio was told to pull off into the secondary inspection area at the border checkpoint, Robinson allegedly tried to bribe the Uber driver to take the blame for the bags of marijuana. However, the driver declined, saying they would not have accepted the ride if they knew there were drugs in the vehicle they were riding in. That person was not charged or arrested.
Both men were charged with conspiracy to posses with intent to distribute marijuana and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. They are both being held without bond while they await their first appearance in court on Friday.
Robinson, who came into the league as a #2 draft pick, played for five seasons in the NFL for various teams, including the St. Louis Rams, the Detroit Lions, and most recently, the Cleveland Browns. The Browns have previously stated they would not be signing Robinson for another season, leaving him to be a free agent. Robinson's alleged partner, Quan Bray, played college football with Robinson at Auburn University, and with three and the Canadian Football League.
If convicted, Robinson and Bray could each face up to 20 years in prison, the statement added.