Robert Downey Jr.'s Son Pleads Guilty To Cocaine Possession

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The 21-year-old son of actor Robert Downey Jr. pleaded guilty Friday to a cocaine possession charge that could eventually be dismissed.

Indio Falconer Downey was in court to enter his plea as his father looked on.

"If you stay out of trouble for 18 months, this case gets dismissed," Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Keith L. Schwartz said to Downey.

The drug charge stemmed from his arrest about 2:20 p.m. June 29 near La Cienega and Santa Monica boulevards in West Hollywood. He posted bail 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 said to the judge.

The judge said that "people always look up to super heroes," and called on Indio Downey to look toward "Iron Man" – the role his father has played recently in "The Avengers and a trio of Iron Man films.

Robert Downey Jr. had his own history of drug problems and trouble with the law. He spent time in jail twice before entering a drug treatment program and getting 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."

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