Newton pleads guilty to drug charge

DALLAS (AP) -- Former Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Nate Newton pleaded guilty to drug trafficking as part of a plea agreement Wednesday.

Other drug charges against Newton were dropped. Sentencing is July 19.

Newton faces up to 20 years in prison, but his lawyer, Steven Rozen, said Newton might only have to serve up to 2 1/2 years, with credit for time served.

Newton, 40, helped the Cowboys win three Super Bowls. He was taken back to a detention center where he's been since he was arrested Dec. 12.

Police found $10,000 in Newton's pickup and 175 pounds of marijuana in the trunk of a car driven by another man. The marijuana was worth an estimated $700,000.

At the time, Newton was free on bail after being arrested in Louisiana in November and accused of driving a van holding 213 pounds of marijuana.

Newton's lawyer, Steven Rozen, said the Louisiana case is still active and Newton's lawyers there hope he can plead guilty to those charges and serve his time concurrently with the Texas sentence.

Newton, who lives in East Ellijay, Ga., was selected to the Pro Bowl six times in his 14-year NFL career. He retired after the 1999 season.

 

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