New England Patriots offensive lineman Nicholas Kaczur was arrested in April on a drug charge and then cooperated with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration in a sting that led to the indictment of his alleged supplier, The Boston Globe reported.
Kaczur, 28, wore a hidden recording device during three drug transactions last month, sources told the paper. Each time, Kaczur paid $3,900 in cash to buy 100 OxyContin pills, a prescription pain reliever.
Federal agents arrested Daniel Ekasala moments after the third transaction, Ekasala's lawyer said. He was indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday on three counts of possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute and is to be arraigned in federal court Wednesday.
Kaczur denied to a reporter that he participated in a DEA investigation or buying drugs. He also said he was not familiar with Ekasala.
The sting is detailed in an affidavit filed by the DEA in U.S. District Court in Boston. That document refers to an unnamed cooperating witness who was a buyer. After Ekasala was indicted, Ekasala's lawyer, Bernard Grossberg, said Kaczur was the cooperating witness; two other people briefed on the investigation also verified Kaczur's involvement, the paper said.
Grossberg said DEA documents presented to him before the indictment indicated Kaczur said he had begun buying OxyContin in November 2007 and purchased 100 pills every few days, paying tens of thousands of dollars over time.
Kaczur began cooperating after he was arrested April 27 in New York by State Police who stopped him for speeding and found a small amount of oxycodone in his car, authorities said. New York police said Kaczur was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, which is a misdemeanor.
Patriots spokesman Stacey James declined to comment, saying, "We're deferring all questions on this matter to the appropriate law enforcement officials." He said Kaczur remains a member of the Patriots.
Vance Malinovic, Kaczur's agent, said Tuesday he was not prepared to talk about the player's situation. "Right now, I have no comment," he said.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello would not speak specifically about Kaczur but said the misuse of prescription drugs is a violation of the league's substance-abuse policy.
On Monday, the Patriots signed free agent Oliver Ross, who is expected to play right tackle, Kaczur's position.
Kaczur, 28, wore a hidden recording device during three drug transactions last month, sources told the paper. Each time, Kaczur paid $3,900 in cash to buy 100 OxyContin pills, a prescription pain reliever.
Federal agents arrested Daniel Ekasala moments after the third transaction, Ekasala's lawyer said. He was indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday on three counts of possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute and is to be arraigned in federal court Wednesday.
Kaczur denied to a reporter that he participated in a DEA investigation or buying drugs. He also said he was not familiar with Ekasala.
The sting is detailed in an affidavit filed by the DEA in U.S. District Court in Boston. That document refers to an unnamed cooperating witness who was a buyer. After Ekasala was indicted, Ekasala's lawyer, Bernard Grossberg, said Kaczur was the cooperating witness; two other people briefed on the investigation also verified Kaczur's involvement, the paper said.
Grossberg said DEA documents presented to him before the indictment indicated Kaczur said he had begun buying OxyContin in November 2007 and purchased 100 pills every few days, paying tens of thousands of dollars over time.
Kaczur began cooperating after he was arrested April 27 in New York by State Police who stopped him for speeding and found a small amount of oxycodone in his car, authorities said. New York police said Kaczur was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, which is a misdemeanor.
Patriots spokesman Stacey James declined to comment, saying, "We're deferring all questions on this matter to the appropriate law enforcement officials." He said Kaczur remains a member of the Patriots.
Vance Malinovic, Kaczur's agent, said Tuesday he was not prepared to talk about the player's situation. "Right now, I have no comment," he said.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello would not speak specifically about Kaczur but said the misuse of prescription drugs is a violation of the league's substance-abuse policy.
On Monday, the Patriots signed free agent Oliver Ross, who is expected to play right tackle, Kaczur's position.
