'Smallville' Star Sam Jones Prison Release, After Involvement With Mexican Drug Cartel
Sam Jones III, the actor who played best friend to Clark Kent in "Smallville," has been released from prison following drug conspiracy charges.
Sam Jones was released two months early from his one-year prison term on Friday. The actor had been charged with having a role in a drug cartel ring. In December 2010, the 33-year-old pleaded guilty to conspiracy after selling more than 10,000 pills of Oxycodone, according to TMZ.
Initially released on bail, the actor was then sentenced to a one-year term in June. Jones had been checked into a low security facility in Lompoc, CA before his release.
Jones told authorities that he enlisted in the conspiracy in an effort to pay a friend back. Authorities originally hoped to sentence Jones to five years in prison; the maximum penalty was up to 20 years, according to Mail Online.
The actor however, made a plea for leniency to the judge, explaining the he had been facing hard times. He informed the judge that he had lost his dog, his car, and his acting job on Blue Mountain State, after being hit with drug charges.
Jones had allegedly became involved in a gang that was pushing drugs. He was caught after selling illegal Oxycodone to a federal agent.
According to court documents obtained by Mail Online, the government seized a massive amount of drugs from the gang - 586 pounds of marijuana and 10,000 fake Oxycodone tablets.
Aside from his role as Pete Ross in "Smallville," Jones has also acted in "ER" and "Blue Mountain State," a comedy series on Spike TV.