Michigan's Mazi Smith gets 12 months probation for misdemeanor weapons charge

Ann Arbor — Michigan defensive tackle and co-captain Mazi Smith has been sentenced to 12 months probation under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act for a misdemeanor weapons charge.

Smith appeared Thursday in Washtenaw County 15^th District Court accompanied by his attorney John Shea. Smith and Shea declined comment after the sentencing before Judge Karen Valvo.

According to a police report, on Oct. 7, 2022 Smith was stopped by an Ann Arbor police officer initially for speeding but was arrested for having in his truck a registered Glock-19 and loaded magazines without a valid concealed pistol license. He was arraigned Dec. 1 on a felony weapons charge in Washtenaw County 14A-1. That was two days before Michigan played in the Big Ten championship game and the first time the arrest had been made public.

Smith pleaded down to a misdemeanor charge on Dec. 8 for unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle.

The arrest occurred the day Michigan left to play a game Oct. 8 at Indiana. Smith made the trip and played and was never suspended by Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh.

Smith spoke to reporters late last month at a Fiesta Bowl news conference before Michigan’s national semifinal game for the first time since he was arraigned. He said immediately after his arrest and release, he informed Harbaugh of the situation.

“Right away,” Smith said last month. “He wanted all the facts. He didn't want no surprises. He just wanted me to be forthcoming and honest, and that's what I was from the get-go. And I feel like that's why he kept trusting me and trusting the process.”

Smith said it had been a challenging situation.

“I’m a big compartmentalizer,” Smith said at the news conference. “Everything isn’t always gonna go your way. I'm a young kid, make mistakes, but at the same time, I still had a job to do.

“Coach Harbaugh still trusted me to be a leader on this team and a captain and I much appreciated because he didn't have to. I had to show up for my brothers and make it less about me and what I got going on, and more about us and what we got going on.”

Because he was sentenced under Michigan’s Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, if there are no further issues during probation, the charge will be dropped from his record.

Earlier this week, Smith declared for the NFL Draft.

achengelis@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @chengelis