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Jaycee Chan charged: China makes an example of Jackie Chan's son

Jaycee Chan charged: The son of Hong Kong action film star Jackie Chan was indicted on the charge of 'sheltering others to use drugs.' If convicted, Jaycee Chan, a singer and actor, could face up to three years in prison.

  • By Staff Associated Press

| Beijing

Chinese prosecutors on Monday indicted the son of Hong Kong action film star Jackie Chan on the charge of "sheltering others to use drugs," more than four months after he was detained.

If convicted, singer-actor Jaycee Chan could be jailed for up to three years.

Chan, 32, was among a string of celebrities detained over the summer for vices such as drug use and hiring prostitutes, as Beijing vowed to clean up social morals.

The detention of Jaycee Chan has been particularly embarrassing for his father, who was named by Beijing as an anti-drug ambassador in 2009.

Beijing police detained the younger Chan at his Beijing apartment in August along with Taiwanese movie star Ko Kai. Police said Chan and Ko both tested positive for marijuana and admitted using the drug, and that 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of it were taken from Chan's home.

Ko, whose real name is Ko Chen-tung, was released after a 14-day administrative detention for the drug use, but Chan — who has remained in detention since August — is faced with the more serious criminal charge.

State broadcaster CCTV in August aired video of the police raid on Chan's apartment, in which Chan was shown identifying marijuana. Ko testified on camera that he had used drugs at Chan's home.

Chan has never publicly contested the charge, and his father has openly apologized over his detention. In August, Chan wrote:

"For my son, Fang Zuming (Jaycee), to get into such trouble, I'm very angry and astonished,” Mr. Chan wrote In a microblog posting Wednesday. “As a public figure, I'm ashamed, as a father, I'm heartbroken, I can't begin to describe his mother's pain. I hope young people will take a lesson from Zuming (Jaycee) and stay away from drugs,” according to China Daily’s English translation.

Chan added, “I failed to be a good father and I deserve the blame. I will take the responsibility and apologize to public on behalf of Jaycee!"

Prosecutors from Beijing's Dongcheng District announced the indictment in a one-line statement that did not mention when a trial would be held.

In June, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared that illegal drugs should be wiped out and that offenders should be severely punished. The crackdown snared more than 7,800 people in Beijing alone, according to police, and celebrities were targeted because of their influence over the public.

Jaycee Chan has appeared in several films and has released three albums.

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