Former Michigan State guard Keith Appling sentenced to one year in jail

Former Michigan State basketball star Keith Appling pled guilty “charges of carrying a concealed weapon as well as evading police” last month and and receiving a one-year jail sentence as punishment.

He had his sentence hearing on Thursday and expressed his deepest apologies to the Wayne County circuit court judge, prior to be escorted out to begin his sentencing.

“I’m extremely disappointed in myself and I know I let a lot of people down.”

“I know I’ve made some mistakes,” he said during the court hearing. “But I definitely learned from them, and I’m just ready to get my life back on track.”

“I’ve learned from the embarrassment I’ve caused my family, my community, my university, my high school and myself.”

The gun charges, along with charges of evading police, stem from August 28 of last year when Appling was routinely stopped by police. After speeding off, Appling reportedly tossed a bag outside his car window, which had a concealed weapon inside. Appling was eventually pulled over again and arrested.

Police also claimed that there was a “strong odor of marijuana” coming from the former Detroit Pershing High School star and his vehicle when they made the arrest.

Appling was also facing charges from two other separate cases that spanned roughly four months time back in 2016. He also was arrested on similar gun charges from an incident in May earlier that year.

However, prosecutors ultimately dismissed the other two cases against Appling as part of his plea deal. In the end, it’s a sentencing of five years probation, with the first year being served behind bars and no chance of early release.

Appling’s attorney shared with the judge that he firmly believes this four-month stretch is not an accurate representation of the former MSU basketball star as a whole, but knows he was in the wrong. He went on to say that there are teams overseas who still are interested in his services as a player.

“As hard as this may be in his life, I think he will recover from it,” Appling’s attorney W. Otis Culpepper said. “I think he will rebound from it. I think he will go on to be a success.”