American basketball player, Jarred Shaw,  is facing a possible death sentence in Indonesia after undercover police officers discovered $400 worth of cannabis gummies at his apartment in May. 

While originally from Dallas, Texas, Shaw began his professional basketball career in college where he played for the Utah State Aggies, eventually moving abroad to continue his career. Shaw has spent the last few years playing professional basketball for Indonesia’s Tangerang Hawks. 

The Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) issued a lifetime ban for Shaw due to his arrest. 

In a phone interview with The Guardian, Shaw explained that he uses cannabis to manage painful inflammatory symptoms from Crohn’s Disease. 

During basketball’s off-season, Shaw lives in Thailand, where cannabis was decriminalized in 2022. 

While Shaw has previously avoided cannabis use while in Indonesia, his symptoms became so debilitating and painful that he imported 132 gummies to quell his symptoms. 

“I made a stupid mistake,” Shaw told The Guardian last week. “I’ve never been through anything like this.” 

The arrest has been emotionally devastating for Shaw, who said that his first two months in prison brought him to the lowest point in his life, with his mental health suffering gravely. 

“I don’t use (cannabis) to have fun and go party,” Shaw explained in his interview. “With my stomach condition, sometimes it’s hard for me to keep food down or go to the toilet. It just soothes the pain a little bit.” 

Indonesia has a deeply strict policy when it comes to any drug-related charge; a death row sentence carried out by firing squad. Currently, over 500 people are on death row due to drug-related offenses — 100 of those are foreigners. 

Since his arrest, Shaw has been in a cell with 12 other men. While deeply traumatizing, Shaw has relied on personal faith, prayer and working out to find any semblance of normalcy.  He has just turned 35, and wants to continue his basketball career. 

Indonesian police view text messages sent by Shaw, in which he allegedly offered to share gummies with his teammates, as evidence of widespread drug distribution. 

Though the total weight of gummies in Shaw’s possession was about 869 grams, Indonesian police charged Shaw for possession of nearly a kilo, which is 1000 grams. 

Therefore, he could face life in prison or even the death penalty if found guilty. Though his arrest was in May, no court date has been set. According to the U.S embassy in Jakarta, officials know about Shaw’s arrest, but haven’t said much else on the subject. 

Shaw’s arrest speaks to the deeply fractured way in which charges related to cannabis trigger inhumane and destructive punishments. 

The Last Prisoner Project (LPP), a nonprofit that advocates for people incarcerated due to cannabis-related charges, aims to help Shaw return home to his family. Donte West, who works at the LPP and is managing Shaw’s case, told The Guardian “Cannabis can’t kill you, but possessing it can. We must get as much attention on this case in the hope that a positive resolution will set a powerful precedent. I’m dedicated to making sure Jarred gets home to his mother.”

Shaw’s family and friends have set up a GoFundMe for his legal fees. Bree Petruzio, who organized the campaign, detailed Shaw’s inhumane prison conditions, along with advocating for his kind nature and compassionate spirit. 

“Jarred has always been one of the most generous and selfless people you could meet. He is the guy who would spend freely, buy the drinks, entertain everyone and open his wallet first without hesitation,” Petruzio wrote. 

“Jarred made a mistake. But I don’t believe that mistake should cost him his entire future,” Petruzio continued. “If you’ve ever benefited from his generosity, laughed with him, or shared in the good times he created, now is the moment to stand up for him when he needs it most.” 

The fundraiser has currently raised $22,773 of its $24,000 goal.