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Steven Page, the troubled lead singer of pop group The Barenaked Ladies, may escape any permanent stain stemming from his drug arrest last summer, following a court ruling.

The Onondaga County District Attorney's Office in upstate New York agreed to reduce the severity of the charges from felony to misdemeanour, clearing the way for a judge in the Village of Fayetteville last night to temporarily adjourn the case in anticipation of an eventual dismissal.

If Mr. Page adheres to conditions outlined by the court and the District Attorney, including a program of drug screening, the charges will be dropped in six months, which would allow him and the Ladies to once again freely tour the United States.

Outside the courtroom, the singer thanked his fans and said he's looking forward to the upcoming months as a period of “healing and growth.”

“From people on the street who've stopped me to share their support and encouragement, to those friends and loved ones closest to me who've opened their homes and their hearts, I am deeply moved and thankful,” he said.

“The greatest gift a person can know is to not go through their life alone and I am fortunate enough to have been afforded that gift. I also apologize to all of those I have hurt or embarrassed during this episode.”

Mr. Page, 38, his reported girlfriend, Christine Benedicto, and her roommate, Stephanie Ford, were charged with drug possession in July after police found cocaine at a Fayetteville apartment. Ms. Benedicto was 27 at the time of the arrests, while Ms. Ford was 25.

Judge Thomas Morgan said lawyers underwent “extensive negotiations” to reach the agreement announced Tuesday, which also extends to the two women.

“This type of result allows accused with determination and a positive attitude to overcome his or her mistake and avoid the catastrophic consequences of a criminal conviction, while at the same time being a very positive thing for the community,” Mark Mahoney, Mr. Page's attorney, said in a statement.

Mr. Page was arrested in the early morning hours of July 11 at the East Syracuse-area apartment of a woman identified as his girlfriend after local police discovered a vehicle parked across the sidewalk in front of the building, with the driver's side door left ajar. When police knocked on the door, court documents alleged Mr. Page invited them in, whereupon they found him to be in possession of cocaine and marijuana.

Now Mr. Page faces the challenge of rebuilding his reputation, the difficulty of which was underscored by the fact that after his arrest he hired Sitrick and Company, a Los Angeles crisis management firm that specializes in scandals, including a Catholic priest sexual molestation case and the rollout of a so-called “torture porn” movie.

To that end, Mr. Mahoney's statement noted that Mr. Page has been a supporter of community-oriented causes. “In addition to a completely clean record and reputation, Mr. Page and Barenaked Ladies have used their professional success and talents to publicly and privately support a wide variety of charitable organizations like Children's Hospitals in the U.S. and Canada, Make a Wish Foundation, and the White Ribbon Campaign, which fights violence against women,” said the statement.

Two months before the arrest, The Barenaked Ladies had released SnackTime, a collection of two dozen original children's songs. But the band had to minimize its promotional activity, cancelling some concerts including a Disney-sponsored “block party” on Long Island, after the arrest threatened to overshadow the family friendly appearances.

With a report from Canadian Press