Former Cowboys, Bears WR Sam Hurd Released from Prison After Serving 10 Years

Former NFL wide receiver Sam Hurd was released from prison after serving 10 years on drug trafficking charges.

Per Ben Goldsborough of the San Antonio Express-News, Hurd received an early release on Jan. 31 and was placed in community confinement in San Antonio.

Goldsborough noted Hurd was originally set to be released from prison on May 30. He was originally sentenced to 15 years in federal prison in November 2013 after pleading guilty to a superseding indictment that charged him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

The superseding indictment alleged that from a period between July 2011 to June 2012, Hurd wanted to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and between 50 and 100 kilograms of marijuana.

Hurd was arrested in Texas in December 2011 after telling an undercover agent during a sting operation he was attempting to buy drugs for weekly distribution in the Chicago area.

Authorities were put on to Hurd in July 2011 after police conducted a routine traffic stop in Dallas with a man, identified as T.L., who had $88,000 in a canvas bag in his vehicle. The man told police the money and car belonged to Hurd.

Police seized the money, while the man and vehicle were released. Hurd attempted to contact the officers with T.L.'s phone and explained the $88,000 belonged to him, and he placed it in the vehicle along with various bags and items.

In the following months, T.L. provided details about various deals arranged by Hurd. At one point in September, Hurd said he was unavailable to meet due to his NFL commitment with the Chicago Bears.

Federal sentencing guidelines recommended a sentence from 27 to 34 years for Hurd, but U.S. district judge Jorge Solis gave him a 15-year sentence.

Hurd, 37, was undrafted out of Northern Illinois in 2006. He signed with the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent and spent five seasons with the team. The Bears signed Hurd to a three-year contract in July 2011. He was released by the team following his arrest.

During his six-year NFL career, Hurd appeared in 77 games and caught 53 passes for 739 yards with two touchdowns.