<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>SAN DIEGO -- As part of a plea bargain that could allow him to avoid jail time, Chargers safety Terrence Kiel pleaded guilty Wednesday to felony and misdemeanor drug charges for shipping codeine-based cough syrup to Texas.Kiel, one of six Chargers involved in eight run-ins with police since April, was ordered to do 100 hours of volunteer work, including talking to young people about the dangers of drugs, and undergo counseling for gambling.If he does that before his Aug. 7 sentencing and doesn't break any laws, the felony conviction will be dismissed and he'll be placed on probation, said San Diego County Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sontag."We're mindful of the fact that it looks like he's just getting a slap on the wrist because he's an athlete," Deputy District Attorney James Fontaine said after the settlement conference. "But we're expecting things from him. Ultimately, what happens is up to Mr. Kiel."Kiel was in court but didn't speak. He also didn't comment afterward."I think it was a fair resolution," said Kiel's attorney, Bob Grimes.Kiel still has a Feb. 20 court appearance after being cited for urinating outside a nightclub Dec. 18 in downtown San Diego, several hours after the Chargers' home victory against the Kansas City Chiefs.Fontaine said he thought twice about the plea deal after he found out about the public urination citation."You bet it crossed my mind," Fontaine said. "When I got the news of that, I asked myself, 'Is this a person who is spiraling out of control?' His attorney says no. He says that was an incident that showed poor judgment, but wasn't indicative of a larger problem."</div>Full Story
