A felony gun charge was dropped Wednesday against Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Justin Layne after he took a plea deal in a case stemming from a traffic stop in northeast Ohio on April 23.
Layne, 23, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possessing criminal tools in Willoughby Municipal Court. Layne received six months of probation, 32 hours of community service and a $500 fine and was ordered to pay court costs.
Layne, a Cleveland native, was initially pulled over on I-90 going 89 mph in a 60 mph zone last month. During the traffic stop, officers found a loaded pistol. Layne was arrested on suspicion of felony transportation of a firearm inside of a vehicle, according to jail records in Lake County, Ohio. He was also charged with two misdemeanors — driving with a suspended license and exceeding speed limits.
Layne, who played at Michigan State, was selected by the Steelers in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft and appeared in 16 games last season.