Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Francois offered pretrial diversion program
TALLAHASSEE — Florida State quarterback Deondre Francois worked to recover from an injury and make a positive impression on new football coach Willie Taggart in hopes of contending for the Seminoles starting job this fall.
Off the field, however, Francois was the target of a two-month drug investigation that came to a head when Tallahassee police executed a search warrant at his apartment on Thursday.
Police found 17 grams of a marijuana and tobacco mixture among several other items during the search of his apartment.
Francois was charged with misdemeanor possession and not arrested. He was offered a pre-trial diversion program, which could lead to the charge being removed from his record if he fulfills all court obligations.
The redshirt junior was not expected to participate during FSU’s spring game at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday.
But Francois’ latest brush with the law could potentially impact his status with the Seminoles moving forward.
“We are aware of the situation, and it is being handled internally,” a FSU spokesman said.
Tallahassee police received information narcotics activity was occurring at Francois’ apartment beginning in late February, according to court records.
After confiscating items on four separate occasions, Tallahassee police’s special investigations section executed a search warrant around 2 p.m. Thursday. Francois was present with his girlfriend, Diamond Lindsey.
The responding officer smelled marijuana coming from inside the apartment, according to an incident report obtained Friday. Police found the marijuana and other drug paraphernalia less than two feet from Francois’ bed.
Francois told police he “can’t smoke right now” and said the last time he used marijuana was in December 2017. He also said the marijuana belonged to Lindsey.
Francois was charged for a misdemeanor possession charge of fewer than 20 grams of marijuana. He qualified for the diversion program led by state attorney Jack Campbell, Tallahassee police public information officer Damon Miller said Friday.
Among other items listed in property and evidence receipts stemming from four separate seizures and Thursday’s warrant: a Bob Marley grinder, several blunts, multiple plastic bags with cannabis residue, an instant drug test cup, three vials of pain medication, two iPads with broken screens, three iPhones and an FSU student ID card for running back Zaquandre White.
While Francois, Lindsey and their apartment address were listed on Thursday’s property and evidence receipt, names were withheld from receipts for four previous searches. All five receipts are listed under the same case number.
In the diversion program, Francois will be required to do community service and avoid any criminal activity for a period of anywhere from three months to a year. He must also pay a cost of $100 for prosecution to the state attorney’s office.
Francois could also be asked to participate in a substance abuse program.
Francois’ marijuana incident is his second brush with the law this year.
In January, Francois called police to his apartment to mediate an argument with Lindsey, who told police she was nine weeks pregnant at the time and threatened to tell police the incident was a domestic violence dispute, according to court records.
Neither Francois nor the woman were arrested or charged in the aggravated battery incident after giving varying statements to police. During the incident, during which White was present and spoke to police, Lindsey asked police if Francois would get in trouble for marijuana use at the apartment.
White, a redshirt freshman, was charged in a separate incident in January for possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis and possession of narcotic equipment. He was not expected to participate in FSU’s spring game for separate disciplinary reasons.
Francois has spent this spring as a limited participant in practice rehabbing his knee injury with hopes of regaining FSU’s starting quarterback job next season.
Francois missed the rest of his redshirt sophomore season after tearing the patellar tendon in his left knee during the Alabama opener last season.
As a redshirt freshman in 2016, Francois threw for 3,350 yards, 20 touchdowns and seven interceptions, helping the Seminoles to a 10-3 record.