Former Cowboy Hurd Released On Bond After Being Cut By Bears
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - There are new developments in the federal drug investigation of former Dallas Cowboy Sam Hurd.
Hurd was a current NFL player, but Friday the Chicago Bears cut him from the team. They made the move as the 26-year-old prepared to appear in federal court Friday afternoon. Hurd was in his first year with the Bears and sixth year in the NFL.
Hurd wore an orange jumpsuit at the hearing where a judge ruled he could be released from custody on a $100,000 cash bond. After paying the entire amount and being processed, he was released.
Federal Judge Young Kim also ordered that Hurd surrender his passport and any firearms.
Since the drug charges originated here, Hurd will be tried in Texas.
After a five-month investigation here in the Dallas area, Hurd was arrested Wednesday night at a Chicago restaurant.
North Texas prosecutors say Hurd conspired to distribute cocaine throughout the Chicago area.
Records show Hurd accepted one kilo of cocaine from an undercover U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, and told the person he was interested in buying up to 10 kilograms of cocaine for $250,000 and one thousand pounds of marijuana, at a cost of $450,000, every week.
Court filings say a confidential informant told agents that an auto mechanic at a Coppell Firestone tire store - identified only as T.L. - Worked on Hurd's cars and tried to arrange a deal for Hurd to buy cocaine.
A Firestone store spokesman says investigators have not contacted them.
From the courthouse in Chicago, Hurd's attorney, Brett Greenfield, said his client is eager for the truth to come and denied a report that said his client supplied other NFL players with drugs.
"With respect to the rumors that Sam has been supplying drugs to other members of the NFL, out of respect to the NFL, out of respect to his teammates, and out of respect to other players, he 100-percent denies that allegation. It is patently and totally false," said Greenfield.
In a statement to CBS 11 News, the NFL said, "We are closely monitoring the federal investigation and will, of course, cooperate with the federal authorities in any way necessary. If Mr. Hurd is found to have violated the law and is still an NFL player at that time, he will be held fully accountable under our policies."
Reportedly investigators have a list of 26 NFL players to whom Hurd may have supplied drugs. The NFL said it doesn't know of such a list.
Federal prosecutors have 30 days to formally indict Hurd on the charges.
If he is, he will be returned to North Texas where he will then stand trial.
If convicted of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, the former Dallas Cowboy faces up to 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine.
