The 21-year-old son of actor Robert Downey Jr. pleaded guilty on Friday to a cocaine possession charge that could eventually be dismissed.
“If you stay out of trouble for 18 months, this case gets dismissed,” Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Keith L. Schwartz told Indio Falconer Downey, whose father was in court for the hearing.
The drug charge stemmed from Indio Downey’s arrest about 2:20 p.m. June 29 near La Cienega and Santa Monica boulevards in West Hollywood. He was released on bond at 12:19 a.m. the next day, and subsequently entered a drug program.
“Your honor, I appreciate this opportunity and I intend to make the most of it,” Indio Downey told the judge.
The judge noted that “people always look up to super heroes,” and called on the young man to look toward “Iron Man” — the role played by his father.
“So, I think if you have contact with that person, that can give you insight and wisdom and help you make sure you do this well,” the judge said after urging him to have friends who are “clean and sober.”
Robert Downey Jr., most recently known for his roles in the movie “The Avengers” along with “Iron Man,” had his own history of drug problems and trouble with the law. He served two stints behind bars before entering a drug treatment program and emerging sober in 2002.
He issued a statement after his son’s arrest, saying, “Unfortunately, there’s a genetic component to addiction and Indio has likely inherited it.”
“Also, there is a lot of family support and understanding, and we’re all determined to rally behind him and help him become the man he’s capable of being,” Downey said. “We’re grateful to the Sheriff’s Department for their intervention, and believe Indio can be another recovery success story instead of a cautionary tale.”
Indio Downey appeared with his father in the 2005 film “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.”
