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Redmond O'Neal to move from jail to residential rehab
by Natalie James - September 19, 2009 - comments
Judge Freixes also ordered three years of formal probation and a six-year suspended state prison sentence, meaning if Redmond violates his probation in any way, he could go to state prison for six years
Los Angeles, September 19 -- Actor Ryan O'Neal and the late actress Farrah Fawcett’s troubled son Redmond O'Neal has been sentenced by a U.S. judge to a minimum of one year in a residential drug treatment program.
Redmond, who spent his mother's dying days in jail on a drugs charge, was arrested on April 5, 2009 morning when authorities caught him with heroin during a routine security check in the parking lot of Pitchess Detention South Facility in Santa Clarita.
Redmond gets rehab
Five months after his arrest, the 24-year-old Redmond showed up Friday morning to a Santa Clarita, California courtroom for a hearing and pleaded no contest to possessing heroin while on bail in April for another drug offense.
Superior Court Judge Graciela Freixes on Friday ordered Redmond to go into drug rehab at Impact in Pasadena, CA for at least a year.
Judge Freixes also ordered three years of formal probation and a six-year suspended state prison sentence, meaning if Redmond violates his probation in any way, he could go to state prison for six years. He will not have to serve time behind bars if he completes the rehab treatment and three-year probation.
Hollyscoop reports that Redmond won't be released to Impact until Commissioner Godfrey at the Airport Court signs off on him being transferred to the Impact Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center in Pasadena, Calif. Redmond is due to appear before the commissioner on Thursday, Sept. 24.
The wild child of Ryan and late actress Fawcett, who died of cancer on 26 June, has been in custody since his April arrest for bringing drugs into a jail facility, while still on probation for a 2007 drug bust.
Redmond’s arrest on drug charges
Oscar-nominated actor Ryan O'Neal’s son Redmond was arrested on April 5 after police found him carrying narcotics in a jail facility in Castaic, California.
Junior O'Neal’s arrest came during a routine security check in the parking lot of Pitchess Detention South Facility in Santa Clarita. Redmond was giving a ride to a friend at the facility when sheriff's deputies searched his car and found heroin.
Redmond was behind bars as his mother was battling with anal cancer in hospital. He was allowed to briefly leave jail to visit his cancer-stricken mother. On April 25, authorities had allowed the incarcerated Redmond to leave jail with a police escort for three hours to see his ailing mother.
He was still in jail as Fawcett endured her final battle with the cancer. She died in Los Angeles on June 25, and at that time too Redmond was released from jail for a few hours to attend her funeral.