Press sportswriter faces drug felony

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A long-time sports columnist for The Grand Rapids Press turned himself in Wednesday on two marijuana charges, one a felony.

David Mayo was released from the Kent County Jail Wednesday afternoon after appearing via video arraignment on a felony charge of posessing five to 45 kilograms (11 to 99 pounds) of marijuana with intent to distribute and a misdemeanor charge of maintaining a drug house.

A Kent County sheriff's lieutenant told 24 Hour News 8 Mayo's home was one of the five indoor marijuana-growing operations busted by the Kent Area Narcotics Enforcement Team and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration within the last month or so and announced last week.

Mayo faces a maximum of seven years in prison for the delivery charge and two years for the drug house charge.

A warrant claims Mayo manufactured between 20 and 200 marijuana plants at his Grand Rapids home in the 3400 block of Fuller Avenue NE.

The writer's attorney, Bruce Block, said his client is "devastated" by the situation.

"It's just taken his whole world and flipped it upside down," Block said.

The attorney said he has seen no evidence that would suggest Mayo was selling marijuana. And Block said the charges make the situation sound more serious than what is actually alleged.

"We're not talking about bales of this stuff. We're talking about alleged plants," he said.

24 Hour News 8 visited the home Wednesday afternoon around the time Mayo was released. No one answered the door. A woman later exited the home but had no comment.

Mayo is well-known for his insight into the boxing world, particularly his coverage of Grand Rapids' own Floyd Mayweather.

The 48-year-old has covered boxing, college sports and other stories for two decades at The Press. He has covered every major U.S. sporting event, but his affinity for boxing keeps him closely identified with boxing.

Press Editor Mike Lloyd told 24 Hour News 8 he found out about the charges Wednesday morning and plans to speak with Mayo about the issue when Lloyd returns to the area next week.

Lloyd said he is not in a position to "make any judgment" about Mayo's employment status because he does not yet know all the details of the case.

Mayo also works as a regular correspondent for The Ring magazine and its sister publications. He's also been involved in the effort to pass boxing reform in Michigan. The native of Kirby, Ark. is a vice president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.