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Jarred Shaw, a 35-year-old American basketball player who used to star for Oklahoma State and Utah State, remains locked up in an Indonesian prison, his health deteriorating as he desperately tries to return home to the United States.
Shaw was arrested in May 2025 after what he called a “stupid mistake” to The Guardian, ordering a package of 132 cannabis gummies to his apartment in Indonesia. He played basketball in the country but lived in Thailand, where cannabis is legal, during the offseason of the Indonesian Basketball League.
However, Indonesia remains an extremely strict country with its drug laws, with around 276,000 people imprisoned for drug crimes. And the Indonesian government considers cannabis to be the same as heroin and methamphetamine, regardless of its legal status in the United States and many European countries.
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Jarred Shaw watches while handcuffed in Indonesia. (Vlasic Laboratories)
The reason Shaw ordered so many gummies was because he suffered from Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the digestive tract. Cannabis is known to alleviate the most severe symptoms of the disease, and he would get it legally to do so.
But when the package went to his apartment in Indonesia, where he became a basketball star after spending previous stints in Uruguay, Saudi Arabia and Japan, among other countries, Shaw was publicly shamed following his arrest. He was paraded before the Indonesian media wearing an orange prison shirt and even faced the death penalty.
“I wish I could go back and change my actions, but it was definitely a relief to know that I wasn’t going to be sentenced to death,” he told The Guardian.
While he avoided the harsh death penalty, Shaw remains in what he told USA TODAY is a room “no bigger than a typical New York City studio” with 11 other inmates.
“I can wake up at any time and be hospitalized,” Shaw told the outlet, as Crohn’s disease can cause severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition. “Some days are better than others. It’s not where it needs to be. I still feel bad quite often. I ask for compassion and hope a miracle can happen.”
Shaw told the outlet that he has already lost 40 pounds from his playing weight of 245 pounds. Additionally, people with Crohn’s disease have a high risk of colorectal cancer.
Jarred Shaw gets out of a van while under arrest in Indonesia. (Vlasic Laboratories)
In November 2025, Shaw was evaluated by a doctor who found that he was struggling with abdominal pain, mild anemia, and tested positive for an E coli infection, which caused diarrhea, bleeding, and fever.
Shaw told The Guardian that he is not receiving adequate nutrition and that the fried food he eats does not agree with his Crohn’s disease.
Four months after the doctor’s diagnosis, Shaw still has not had the colonoscopy, an intestinal ultrasound and other tests recommended by the medical professional. It would require a minimum stay of three days in the hospital.
“We’re trying to get them to understand,” he said. “Although there is no cure for [Crohn’s]It has to be treated or it could get worse. “Hopefully someone with greater power can at least help me get to the hospital.”
Shaw told USA TODAY he understands he committed a crime and did not know what the laws were in Indonesia. But he considers that “the most important thing” is the fact that he has not gone to a hospital to treat his illness, which he also spoke about during the trial.
Utah State Aggies center Jarred Shaw (5) jumps to grab a rebound during an NCAA men’s basketball game against the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels at the Thomas & Mack Center. (Stephen R. Sylvanie/USA TODAY Sports)
Shaw’s legal team is asking Indonesia’s Health Minister to consider a compassionate release, pointing to his cooperation in court and his lack of a criminal record prior to arrest.
The State Department also commented on Shaw’s case.
“The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety of Americans,” a State Department spokesperson told a source close to Shaw. “We take seriously our commitment to helping Americans abroad, and the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta is providing consular assistance to Jarred Shaw.”
The Vlasic Classic Foundation, which is committed to helping non-violent cannabis inmates get out, partnered with Forgotten Prisoner in an effort to get Shaw returned to the U.S. With Forgotten Prisoner’s help previously, Shaw had his sentence reduced to 26 months in prison.
Utah State Aggies center Jarred Shaw (5) drives back against Wyoming Cowboys guard Jerron Granberry (15) during the first half at Arena-Auditorium. (Troy Babbitt/USA TODAY Sports)
The Vlasic Classic Golf Tournament in Missouri this May will raise money to help Shaw obtain the funds needed to return overseas. Shaw, a Dallas native, played college basketball for Oklahoma State and Utah State. The 6-foot-10 forward saw more playing time with Utah State, averaging 28.3 minutes per game in 58 games.
During his time with the Aggies, Shaw averaged 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks.
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