American basketball player Jarred Shaw hoping for ‘miracle’ in Indonesian prison as health crisis worsens

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, and his health is deteriorating as he tries desperately to return home to the 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 was playing basketball in the country but was living in Thailand, where cannabis is legal, during the Indonesian Basketball League’s offseason.

However, Indonesia remains an extremely strict country with its drug laws, as around 276,000 people are imprisoned for a drug offense. And cannabis is considered the same as heroin and methamphetamine by the Indonesian government, regardless of its legal status in the U.S. and across many European countries. 

The reason Shaw ordered so many gummies was due to his suffering from Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the digestive tract. Cannabis has been known to alleviate tough symptoms of the disease, and he would secure it legally to do so. 

But when the package went to his apartment in Indonesia, where he became a basketball star after spending seasons prior in Uruguay, Saudi Arabia and Japan, among other countries, Shaw was publicly shamed following his arrest. He was paraded in front of 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 I wasn’t getting the death penalty,” 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 apartment” with 11 other inmates.  

“I can wake up any moment 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 sick quite often. I am asking for sympathy, and hopefully a miracle can happen.”

Shaw told the outlet he has already lost 40 pounds from his 245-pound playing weight. Also, people with Crohn’s are at high risk for colorectal cancer. 

In November 2025, Shaw was assessed by a doctor who found he was battling abdominal pain, mild anemia, and he tested positive for an E coli infection, causing diarrhea, bleeding and fever. 

Shaw told The Guardian he isn’t getting proper nutrition, and the fried food he’s eating isn’t sitting well with his Crohn’s. 

Four months after the doctor’s diagnosis, Shaw still hasn’t received the colonoscopy, an intestinal ultrasound, and other tests the medical professional recommended. It would require a minimum three-day stay in the hospital.

“We’re trying to get them to understand,” he said. “Even though there’s no cure for [Crohn’s], you have to treat it, or it could get worse. Hopefully someone with higher power can at least help me get to the hospital.”

Shaw told USA TODAY that he understands he committed a crime and didn’t know what the laws were in Indonesia. But he feels “what’s most important” is the fact he hasn’t gone to a hospital to treat his sickness, which was also brought up during his trial.

Shaw’s legal team is petitioning Indonesia’s minister of health to consider a compassionate release, pointing out his cooperation in court and lack of criminal record prior to arrest. 

The State Department also made a comment on Shaw’s case. 

“The Trump Administration has no higher priority than Americans’ safety and security,” a State Department spokesperson told a source close to Shaw. “We take seriously our commitment to assist 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 prisoners get out, partnered with The Forgotten Prisoner in an effort to get Shaw back into the U.S. With the help of Forgotten Prisoner founder Donte West, an international criminal justice advocate and negotiator, Shaw had his sentence reduced to 26 months in prison.

The Vlasic Classic Golf Tournament in Missouri this May will be raising money to help Shaw get funds needed to get him back 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 contests. 

During his time with the Aggies, Shaw averaged 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. 

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