Cameron Douglas has been sentenced to spend 4½ years in prison beyond the five years he is already serving for drug offenses. The judge criticized the government for being too lenient on Douglas after he repeatedly violated prison rules by arranging to get drugs. A lawyer smuggled drugs into prison for Douglas in her bra. -AP Photo

NEW YORK: Cameron Douglas, son of Oscar winner Michael Douglas, was sentenced Wednesday to 54 additional months behind bars for drug possession while in prison, where he had already been serving time on drugs charges.

The 33-year-old from of one of Hollywood's most famous acting families, was sentenced in April last year to five years for drug trafficking, but has been caught possessing drugs while in jail.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Richard Berman rejected a Douglas plea for clemency, sending shockwaves through the court where several members of the celebrity-studded family were seated.

“I plead with you, Judge Berman, to grant me the opportunity to treat this malignant affliction,” said Douglas, who is also the grandson of film icon Kirk Douglas.

Four Douglas relatives, but not his parents, were in the court, some sobbing or looking stunned.

Once an aspiring actor, Cameron Douglas was arrested in July 2009 in a New York hotel with large quantities of methamphetamines.

The prosecution said he was trafficking methamphetamines, also known as crystal meth, in addition to using the drugs himself. He either sent or transported packets of the drugs to New York from California and had cash payments sent by courier to a California hotel.

He was previously jailed in 1999 and 2007 on drug charges.

Opinion

Editorial

Sustainable path?
Updated 13 Jun, 2026

Sustainable path?

The FY27 budget is the first clear signal that the government is ready to transition from stabilisation to growth.
Prioritising education
13 Jun, 2026

Prioritising education

THOUGH the improvement in the country’s literacy rate may be slight, as highlighted by the Economic Survey, it ...
Poverty’s rise
13 Jun, 2026

Poverty’s rise

AS attention turns to the government’s plans for the coming fiscal year, one set of figures deserves particular...
A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...