Sam Hurd faces additional federal drug charges

Former Chicago Bears wide receiver Sam Hurd was close to a plea deal on federal drug charges but that disintegrated and now he faces two new federal charges.

Hurd, who spent the majority of his career with the Dallas Cowboys, faces five federal drug charges now, according to Jared Hopkins of the Chicago Tribune.

In the latest news, Hurd now faces two counts of commission of a felony offense while on release. He was taken into custody last month while awaiting trial. Law enforcement accuses him of attempting to possess with intent between 50 kilograms and 100 kilograms of marijuana and at least five kilograms of cocaine.

Paperwork had been filed in which Hurd pleaded guilty to one federal drug charge but his attorney told Hopkins those documents were prematurely filed.

The indictment came Tuesday, the same day paperwork was filed in which Hurd pleaded guilty to a federal drug charge, only to have his lawyer tell the Tribune the government had filed the documents "prematurely" with inaccurate information. The lawyer said language in a document in which Hurd acknowledges certain allegations had not been agreed upon.

“I’m just relieved they didn’t accuse him of being a member of Al-Qaeda,” Jay Ethington, Hurd’s attorney, told Hopkins. “He’s being portrayed unfairly.”

Ethington hopes to continue plea talks with the feds. Hurd was originally arrested outside a Chicago steakhouse when he attempted to set up a network in which he could purchase multiple kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 pounds of marijuana per week.

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune