Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
The country star entered a no contest plea in a Tennessee court on September 10.
Darius Rucker has been sentenced to probation following his no contest plea to a drug charge, and he is focused on moving forward.
Months after his arrest related to drug charges from a 2023 traffic stop, the country star, 58, pleaded no contest to one count of simple possession of a controlled substance in a Williamson County, Tennessee courtroom on September 10, as reported by local ABC affiliate WKRN.
Rucker will not face jail time, and by entering a no contest plea, he waived his right to a trial and agreed to an 11-month and 29-day probation sentence. If he successfully completes the probationary period, his charges will be expunged, according to Penn Live.
“On behalf of Darius, we want to thank the Honorable Judge Tom Taylor and the District Attorney’s office for their thoughtful consideration of this case and its outcome,” his attorneys stated to WKRN. “We also want to express our gratitude to the Franklin Police Department and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department for the respectful and professional way they treated Darius during this process. Darius looks forward to working through this probationary period and putting this all behind him.”
The “Wagon Wheel” singer was arrested in February 2024 on two counts of simple possession/casual exchange of a controlled substance and one count of violating Tennessee’s vehicle registration law, as stated by the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office to PEOPLE at the time. He was taken into custody and later released on a $10,500 bond.
WKRN reported that Judge M.T. Taylor mentioned in court that the district attorney recommended dismissing one count of simple possession and the expired registration due to Rucker’s “good character.”
The star, currently on tour with Hootie and the Blowfish, spoke to PEOPLE about his arrest in May, expressing that he was “shocked” to learn there was a warrant out for him months after being pulled over in February 2023 and released without charges. During that traffic stop, Rucker mentioned that he had “a little bit of pot, and I think a little bit of some mushrooms or something in the car.”
TMZ reported that he was pulled over that month for having expired tags, and authorities discovered marijuana and psilocin in his vehicle. Although he was initially released without charges, a warrant for his arrest was issued in December 2023, and he reportedly surrendered himself in February.