Former Georgia Tech football player facing drug charges

ATLANTA — A former star defensive back who dealt with a drug case while playing for Georgia Tech is facing new charges.

Reuben Houston, who once starred in the gold and white of a Georgia Tech football uniform and now is an aspiring rapper, sat in a jailhouse hearing room wearing a Fulton County Jail inmate uniform.

Documents say Houston is charged with trafficking marijuana and also faces a pair of gun charges, including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

When Houston appeared in court, the judge told him he is not authorized to set bond for his case.

Houston's attorney, Manny Arora, says the studio where several pounds of marijuana were found had four other people in it. When asked exactly how much marijuana police found, Arora said, "The police say 11 pounds, but that's with all the packaging on it. So once we actually get an actual weight I'm sure it will be a little bit less."

"I've been lucky enough to talk to some of the officers and, you know, we feel good about the case," Arora said.

Houston faced charges in a California drug trafficking case in 2005. In 2005, Houston told Channel 2 Action News he made a mistake by introducing an acquaintance of his to a friend.

The 2005 incident became a publicity burden, making it impossible for Houston to have an NFL career beyond a short stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Entertainment lawyer Steve Sidman, who can boast a client list of multi-platinum artists across the musical spectrum, says Houston's prospects as Rapper Rico Richie have just taken off.

"He has a single called 'Poppin' that is doing just that," Sidman said. "My friend and client has enormous, almost limitless, prospects as a rapper."

WSBTV