When May 7 rolled around, Jarred Shaw thought it would be another night to remember for all the right reasons. The former Satria Muda big man had just dropped a flawless 28 points and 12 rebounds on his old squad… not missing a single shot… and helped the Tangerang Hawks secure their first-ever win against one of Indonesia’s powerhouse teams. The crowd was electric. Cameras caught Shaw walking off the court, high-fiving fans, and saying with calm confidence, “On to the next one.”
But there wouldn’t be a next one.
Just hours after his shining moment, Shaw’s life took a sharp turn. He was arrested in the lobby of his upscale apartment complex outside Jakarta, surrounded by what he described as “as many as 15” undercover officers. The charge? Accepting a package of THC-infused gummies mailed from Thailand, where Shaw lives in the offseason and where cannabis is legal.
To Indonesian authorities, it wasn’t medicine… it was trafficking. And in a country where drug laws are some of the toughest on the planet, that accusation could carry a sentence as harsh as life in prison or even the death penalty.
Shaw says the gummies were never about dealing or getting high, they were about healing. Diagnosed with Crohn’s disease back in 2010, he told Andscape that he turned to THC to ease the painful symptoms. “I was having a rough patch during the [2025 IBL] season, and I had the package sent,” Shaw said. “I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong. I had no idea about the laws here. I understand I made a mistake, and I’m sorry. I just want to get out of here. I want to go home.”
It’s a story that echoes Brittney Griner’s ordeal in Russia, a talented American athlete caught up in a foreign justice system that doesn’t see cannabis through the same lens. But this time, there’s someone on the ground in Indonesia trying to make a difference.
Enter Donte West, a criminal justice advocate from the United States who’s made it his mission to fight for people locked up over cannabis-related charges. Normally, his work stays within U.S. borders; West joined the Last Prisoner Projectin 2021 to help free Americans convicted on cannabis offenses. But when he heard about Shaw’s case, he decided to step up independently and take it international.
“This is my first international case,” West said after meeting with prosecutors in Jakarta this week. “I thought the meeting was useful, and I found that the officials here really aren’t familiar with Crohn’s disease. We’re going to try to fly a doctor in from the United States to make a presentation so that the prosecutors and judges here can better understand Jarred’s situation,” via Andscape.com.
For West, it’s not just about legal strategy, it’s about humanity. In places where laws haven’t caught up to modern medicine or compassion, his presence sends a message that Shaw isn’t forgotten.
“I thought the meeting went well,” West added. “Jarred has another court case next week. I don’t know how long I’m allowed to be here, but I’ll try to stay as long as I can to help.”
As Shaw faces another long week behind bars, West’s arrival feels like a lifeline. And in that fight, West isn’t just advocating for one man, he’s challenging a global system that still criminalizes healing.
Because in the end, this isn’t just about a basketball player who made a mistake. It’s about who shows up when the spotlight fades. And right now, that person is Donte West, standing tall, steady, and ready to go to the line for Jarred Shaw.