Former Bears receiver Sam Hurd, who is currently out on bond awaiting trial on charges of trying to start a drug ring in the Chicago area, pleaded not guilty to new drug charges on Wednesday. The indictment, filed last month, accuses Hurd of asking his cousin Jesse Chavful, to purchase drugs for him.
Chavful pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess five or more kilograms of cocaine on Monday after reaching an agreement with prosecutors. Chavful said Hurd contacted him at his T-shirt shop in San Antonio and asked him to obtain cocaine and marijuana, after which Chavful set up a deal to purchase the drugs, at which meeting he was arrested.
Hurd, who has been in custody since August when he failed two drug tests and the allegations related to Chavful came out. The original allegations against Hurd are that he attempted to set up large-scale purchases of cocaine and marijuana, as well as accepting 1 kilogram of what he believed to be cocaine from an undercover officer at a Chicago-are steakhouse.
Prosecutors say Hurd told the officer that he wanted to eventually purchase 5 to 10 kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 pounds of marijuana per week to distribute the drugs in the Chicago area. He was shortly afterward cut from the Bears, only months after signing a contract said to have been worth as much as $5.15 million.
Toby Lujan, Hurd’s co-defendant, has pleaded guilty to charges. His attorney has said he doesn’t expect any plea deals to be forthcoming.
Source: Daily Herald, “Ex-Bear WR Hurd pleads not guilty to new drug charges,” October 3, 2012.
