Chicago Bears Sam Hurd in Federal Custody After Drug Dealing Arrest
Sam Hurd, wide receiver for the Chicago Bears, is being held in federal custody after he was arrested for attempting to organize a drug-dealing network.
Hurd, 26, was in possession of over a pound of cocaine he purchased from an undercover agent at the time of his arrest, according to AP.
The wide receiver, whose deal with the Bears was announced in late July, was arrested on Wednesday night after he met with an undercover agent in a Chicago restaurant and expressed interest in purchasing 5 to 10 kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 grams of marijuana per week.
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Hurd declined to comment on the charges but told reporters he believed he was still with the Bears.
Hurd allegedly told the agent he and a partner already distribute approximately 4 kilos of cocaine each week in the Chicago area, but required a new supplier to manage their demands.
After agreeing to pay the agent “dealer” $25,000 per kilogram of cocaine and $450 per pound for the marijuana, Hurd left the restaurant with a package of cocaine and was promptly arrested.
Hurd is being held in Chicago until Friday while his attorneys work on a bond deal. He will later be sent to Texas, where the criminal complaint was filed.
David Kenner, one of Hurd’s lawyer’s, believes his client is innocent of the charges.
''Sam intends to fight these charges, and we intend to defend him fully,'' Kenner told AP. “We have complete confidence in him.''
David Kenner is a high-profile defense attorney who successfully defended rapper Snoop Dogg against murder charges.
''They start off looking terrible, and then we end up with 'not guiltys,''' said Kenner to AP.
According a statement by the U.S. Attorney, Hurd could face up to 40 years in jail and a fine of $2 million if he is convicted of conspiracy to possess with the intent to sell over 500 grams of cocaine.
Bears Coach Lovie Smith called the arrest a ''total surprise,'' but added that Hurd was still a Bears wide receiver.
''Sam wasn't in meetings this morning and that's how from there of course we started searching trying to find out why a player wouldn't be here,'' Smith said, according to AP. ''There was no tipoff, didn't know it was coming."
''No issues, no reason. I'm in shock over it. I never saw it coming,'' Smith added in a statement to the AP. ''But just like I think I know most of you, you don't really know what people do once you're not with them. But I know that anyone we bring through here, we've had an extensive search to find out everything, if there is something out there, and that wasn't the case. There was nothing we knew about Sam.''
Hurd’s teammates were also surprised about the charges.
''It's a situation that you don't, I don't, want anybody to be in, especially a close friend, a teammate that I've been playing with now for 4 or 5 years,'' fellow Bears wide receiver Roy Williams told the AP. "Especially a guy from Texas with a wife and a daughter. ... I know it has to be tough for him because he has his family.''
