Art Schlichter, the former Ohio State quarterback whose career post-college has been tarnished by addiction and legal troubles, is again in the public eye for the wrong reasons. Schlichter, 64, of Columbus, was indicted on felony drug charges after an incident in February where he was reportedly found to have crack pipes. Cleveland.com shared that Franklin County Common Pleas Court records show the indictment that took place on a fifth-degree felony charge of possession of drugs.
The charge is just the latest in a series of legal challenges for Schlichter, who, since his playing days in the late 1970s, has struggled to maintain a life unmarred by addiction. In June of 2022, he was sentenced to a year of probation after being found unresponsive with cocaine. His battle with substance abuse seems to deeply root itself in his life's path, always seemingly to emerge back into the light when the shadows appear to hold him finally.
His extensive criminal history includes a 2011 arrest that led to an 11-year federal prison sentence for theft, defrauding victims in a ticket scam, and concealing his income from the government, as reported by WCHSTV.com. Schlichter was released on parole in June of 2021 after serving nine years.
In the February incident leading to the current charge, an Ohio State Highway Patrol deputy pulled over Schlichter early in the morning in North Linden. What began as a routine traffic stop swiftly changed course when the deputy reported seeing drug paraphernalia in the car. Schlichter reportedly handed over two crack pipes and was subjected to a probable cause search, during which small white rocks were found, "crack rocks," Schlichter purportedly told the trooper. The arrest account was detailed on NBC4i.com.
The legal system again encircles a man who once commanded the football field, adding another chapter to a life that has been as much defined by misdemeanors as by yards rushed. Schlichter's story serves as a sad emblem of the problematic road some face after the roar of Saturday's crowds dim and the gladiatorial arenas become silent, leaving behind the individual to navigate a path that, for some, proves endlessly treacherous.
