Possible Sentence Reduction

Yahoo! Sports reports that Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick may be eligible to have his sentence reduced through a drug treatment program. On December 10, 2007 Vick was sentenced to serve 23 months in federal prison for his conviction on dog-fighting and conspiracy. Prior to his sentencing but after his plea of guilty, Vick failed a drug test for marijuana.

Vick reportedly is on the verge of entering a prison-monitoring drug treatment program in a minimum security prison in Leavenworth, Kansas. Under the program, Vick will be involved in an intense treatment program that lasts from six to twelve (12) months, with a minimum of 500 hours of treatment. Upon successful completion of the program, Vick may be eligible for early release based on his previous convictions. Vick did not have any previous convictions before the dog-fighting case.

If Vick’s serves a significantly reduced sentence, it could open the door for him to return to the NFL by 2009, assuming the league chooses not to impose its own suspension beyond the length of his prison time.