Pubdate: Mon, 07 Jul 2003 Source: Associated Press (Wire) Copyright: 2003 Associated Press Author: Sara Thorson STOUDAMIRE FACES ANOTHER MARIJUANA CHARGE PHOENIX - Damon Stoudamire (news) was arrested on marijuana charges after allegedly trying to pass through an airport metal detector with almost 1 1/2 ounces of the drug wrapped in aluminum foil. The Portland Trail Blazers (news) guard was stopped at the Tucson airport Thursday as he prepared to board a flight to New Orleans, police said Monday. He was charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Police said he was carrying almost 40 grams of marijuana. After Stoudamire set off the metal detector, he placed the drug and rolling papers into a plastic security bin, police said. Security officials then summoned police. Stoudamire was released on his own recognizance and is to appear in court July 25. Calls to Stoudamire's attorney, Steve Houze, were not returned. Mike Hanson, Blazers spokesman, declined comment. Stoudamire has been arrested twice before on drug charges. In November, Stoudamire and teammate Rasheed Wallace (news) were passengers in a vehicle that was stopped for speeding on a highway outside Chehalis, Wash., after a game with Seattle. A search of the vehicle turned up a small amount of marijuana, police said. Stoudamire agreed to attend drug and alcohol counseling and stay out of legal trouble for the next year to have misdemeanor charges against him dropped. If convicted of the latest charges, Stoudamire would face a mandatory sentence of one day in jail. Andrew Toynbee, chief criminal deputy with the Lewis County, Wash., district attorney's office, said prosecutors might seek a longer sentence. Earlier in 2002, Stoudamire was charged with a felony after police found a large bag of marijuana in his home while responding to a burglar alarm. A judge declared the search illegal. Stoudamire was drafted from Arizona in 1995 by the Toronto Raptors (news), where he was Rookie of the Year in 1996. He was traded to the Trail Blazers in 1998. Stoudamire is attending summer school at the University of Arizona and working toward a degree in media arts, with a minor in sports broadcasting. - --- MAP posted-by: Tom