VENTURA, Calif. -- A gold-medal archer from Simi Valley, whose performance at the 1996 Olympics inspired actress Geena Davis to take up the sport, surrendered to authorities Thursday to face a felony drug charge.
Justin Huish, 25, and his roommate, Brian Mastrangelo, 24, are scheduled to be arraigned March 16 on a charge of possession of marijuana for sale. Authorities said a monthlong investigation determined that the pair had been selling marijuana from their home in the North Los Angeles community of Simi Valley.Huish's attorney, Philip Dunn, said the winner of two gold medals in 1996 hopes to compete in this summer's Games in Sydney, Australia, but the drug charge makes his status uncertain.
"Typically, a marijuana charge is not considered to be as serious as a hard drug," he said. "(But) this is very upsetting for Justin. It's very difficult for him and his family."
Huish refused reporters' requests for comment.
Mastrangelo also faces a charge of possession of deadly weapons after a Feb. 15 police search of the home discovered martial arts throwing stars and a police-style baton, authorities said.
If convicted of the charge, Huish faces a maximum of three years in prison. Mastrangelo faces a sentence of four years and four months, prosecutor Chris Harman said.
Arrest warrants for the men were issued late Wednesday, and the pair arranged to surrender Thursday. They were released on their own recognizance and ordered to return to Simi Valley police within 48 hours for booking.
During the Feb. 15 search of the roommates' house, detectives seized 4.5 ounces of marijuana and 4.2 grams of hashish oil, which is made from the resin of marijuana, said Simi Valley police Sgt. Bob Gardner. The drugs were valued at $2,300.
Authorities also confiscated $23,000 in cash, scales, packaging materials and other drug paraphernalia, he said.
Huish was taken into custody following the search but released later in the day pending further investigation, authorities said. His roommate was not home at the time.
In 1993, Huish was convicted of misdemeanor vandalism and sentenced to three years probation after an African-American couple reported that their driveway was spray-painted with the initials KKK. Huish later said in an interview that the initials were spray-painted by one of several other teens he was drinking with and that he had only spray-painted his name on the couple's mailbox.
He also denied that the incident was racially motivated.
Huish has kept a relatively low profile since winning gold medals in individual and team competition at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
He has been training regularly for the 2000 Olympics and is employed at a location Dunn refused to disclose.
Huish did, however, gain some notoriety last year for offering instruction to Davis, the Oscar-winning actress who took up the sport after watching Huish perform during the Games. Within two years, Davis was competing for a spot on the U.S. Olympic women's archery team.
She advanced to the semifinal round of trials last summer but did not make one of the starting three spots or the alternate position.