Son of Farrah Fawcett, Ryan O'Neal faces gun, drug charges

Redmond O'Neal has had some legal trouble in the past.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• A judge refused bond for Redmond O'Neal at Thursday's arraignment
• O'Neal's felony record makes it illegal for him to have a gun
• If convicted on the heroin and gun charge, O'Neal could get 3 years, 8 months in prison
• He was arrested after a traffic stop in Santa Monica, California, Tuesday

Los Angeles (CNN) -- His father, Ryan O'Neal, and sister Tatum O'Neal sat behind Redmond O'Neal in court Thursday as he entered a not guilty plea to charges he possessed heroin and an illegal handgun.
The Los Angeles judge denied bond for the 26-year-old son of Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal. Redmond O'Neal was still on probation for drug convictions when he was arrested in Santa Monica, California, Tuesday morning.
"Redmond O'Neal remains cautiously optimistic that all these matters can be favorably resolved so that Mr. O'Neal can receive opportunity for additional treatment," his lawyer Richard Pintal told CNN after Thursday's arraignment.
If convicted on the charges of felony possession of heroin and felon with a handgun, he could be sentenced to up to three years, eight months in prison, the Los Angeles County district attorney said. He could also get additional time for violating his probation.
He was on probation for a 2009 drug conviction when police stopped his car for a traffic violation Tuesday morning. The officers found heroin when they searched his car with O'Neal's consent, the prosecutor said.
A later search of O'Neal's apartment revealed a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun, the prosecutor said.
He is scheduled to return to court on August 24.
O'Neal was released a year ago from a Pasadena, California, sober living facility where he was undergoing court-ordered drug rehab.
Ryan O'Neal, Redmond O'Neal and half-sister Tatum O'Neal sat together for an interview on June 25, 2010, the first anniversary of Fawcett's death. Redmond O'Neal was on a day pass from the rehab center so he could visit his mother's grave for the first time.
The three O'Neals were near tears as they spoke to CNN during a private gathering of friends and family at the Beverly Hills, California, headquarters of the Farrah Fawcett Foundation.
"Redmond is extremely well," Ryan O'Neal said. "He is recovering from a terrible disease. He seems to have cured himself. We are thrilled about that. And that's why he's here, because they let him."
"To show my face and let everybody know that I'm doing good, you know," Redmond O'Neal said. "You can't hide forever."

"And how handsome he is and how much he looks like Farrah," Tatum O'Neal said. "And how proud she would be and how lucky I am that I can at least be here, because he's so awesome. Oh, I'm going to cry."