It appears there’s been resolution to the case against Justin Layne following his arrest on April 23rd. According to News 5 Cleveland, Layne has taken a plea deal and agreed to a misdemeanor charge. In exchange, the felony charges against have him been dropped.
From the News 5 report.
“Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback and Cleveland native Justin Layne took a plea deal in his felony gun charge case that stemmed from a traffic stop on I-90 on April 23.
Layne 23, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possessing criminal tools in Willoughby Municipal Court. His felony gun charge was dropped.
He also pleaded guilty to two traffic-related violations.”
Layne was also ordered by the judge to perform 32 hours of community service in addition to pay court fines.
Layne was pulled over and arrested in the early morning of April 23rd. He was brought up on firearm chargers, including a fourth-degree felony for improper handling of a firearm.
Layne’s now been able to plea down those chargers and agree to the misdemeanor offense along with traffic violations.
The Steelers drafted Layne in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He’s played sparingly on defense, logging 25 career tackles. He’s primarily served on special teams.
After his arrest, the Steelers acknowledged the situation but haven’t offered any further comment since. It’s unlikely Layne faces league discipline, though the NFL is always unpredictable with these situations. Layne will look to keep hold of a roster spot this summer. The Steelers drafted just one defensive back, seventh-round pick Tre Norwood, who the team views as a versatile DB but will primarily play safety.
