Sam Hurd sentenced to 15 years in Prison
The Associated Press announced that Former NFL wide receiver Sam Hurd was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison for his role in a drug-distribution ring. Sam Hurd pled guilty in April of this year to one count of trying to buy and distribute large amounts of cocaine and marijuana. He was sentenced to fifteen years. The charge penalties ranged from 10 years to life.
The news of Hurds initial arrest was a shock to many who described him as well-respected. Most people who talked about Sam Hurd mentioned how he was a great guy and very friendly. Others admitted that even as teammates they had no idea what was going on with him. But everyone seemed to have the same sentiment after the sentencing- they wished the very best for him.
Prior to his sentencing, Sam Hurd was able to give a speech to the court which was described as an emotional 30-minute plea for mercy, according to USA Today. Also in the court to support him were many of his friends and family members. After his testimony Hurd was chastised by the court by the judge who told him he had everything going for him- a great football career, a family who loved him and many friends.
Sam Hurd had separate identity
Apparently, even though most of his friends knew Sam Hurd as a father, community volunteer and great teammate, he was also leading a double life as a drug dealer negotiating high end deals with drug buyers for large amounts of illegal drugs, although many of the alleged deals were only negotiated and not necessarily transacted. Sam Hurd was arrested in 2011 in Chicago at a restaurant when he attempted to buy a kilogram of cocaine, which is about 2.2 pounds. According to the arrest information, Hurd was actually negotiating with an undercover narcotics agent when he negotiated to receive and sell 5 to 10 kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 pounds of marijuana per week. He admitted that he already had a business distributing cocaine in the Chicago area but wanted to increase his business. The tragedy of the story is Hurd was already a very wealthy man after signing a 3 year contract for $5 million to play for the Chicago Bears. He also had previously played with the Dallas Cowboys for much of the previous five years and had done quite well on special teams. After his arrest the Bears cut him and he returned to Texas. The trouble didnt stop there. He then attempted to buy drugs through a family member and failed a drug test. He was returned to jail in August 2012 after failing a drug test and violating his probation. In court, however, Sam Hurd seemed genuinely heartbroken as he pleaded for mercy. He knows he made mistakes and bad decisions. Unfortunately, Hurd is no longer just talking about mistakes on the field where you might get benched or cut from the team. Hes a drug dealer, and now hell have a lot of time in prison to think about what could have been and all the chances he had that he wasted.