Tyson pleads not guilty to drug charges

PHOENIX (AP) _ Mike Tyson pleaded not guilty today to charges of drug possession and driving under the influence of drugs. <br/><br/>The former heavyweight champion was indicted earlier this month in Arizona

Monday, January 22nd 2007, 10:30 am

By: News On 6

PHOENIX (AP) _ Mike Tyson pleaded not guilty today to charges of drug possession and driving under the influence of drugs.

The former heavyweight champion was indicted earlier this month in Arizona on felony drug possession and paraphernalia possession counts and two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of drugs. If convicted of all four charges, he could be sentenced to up to seven and a-half years in prison.

And Maricopa (mar-ih-KOH'-pah) County Attorney Andrew Thomas has said he would pursue prison time for Tyson, who was convicted of rape in Indiana in 1992 and pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault charges in Maryland in 1999.

The latest charges stem from Tyson's December 29th arrest in Scottsdale. Tyson was pulled over after leaving a nightclub, and an officer found bags of cocaine in his back pocket and another in a package of cigarettes in his car, according to court records.