Judge denies Ex-Bear Sam Hurd's request for early release

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Ex-Chicago Bears wide receiver Sam Hurd will remain locked up in federal prison after a judge ruled against his request to get out of prison early, the ABC7 I-TEAM has learned.

Hurd, who was arrested in 2011 for drugs, filed a self-written motion nearly a year ago to get out of federal prison early.

In an apparent rushed offense, Hurd claimed that he had been rehabilitated and didn't deserve a such a lengthy sentence. However, a judge didn't buy it.

Hurd, who wore No. 81 as a Bear, will continue to wear prison garb for the foreseeable future.

READ: JUDGE'S DENIAL FOR SAM HURD MOTION

Hurd was still on the Bears roster in 2011 when he was arrested carrying a brick of cocaine out of a suburban Rosemont steakhouse.

The arrest was the end of his NFL career and the good life as he knew it.

Before his arrest, he told a reporter: "It's all about having fun, getting opportunities, so I'm taking advantage of every opportunity I can get."

In 2011, Hurd was having fun and was a popular figure with his teammates, fans and the media.

His $5 million-year-star fell fast.

He pleaded guilty to a multi-kilo federal drug charge and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Last March, the one-time Northern Illinois University football player wrote his own motion for a sentence reduction and filed it without a lawyer, claiming he had completed typing and business classes while in prison, along with the basics of sports injury training and basketball officiating. He said he deserved to have his sentence cut to nine years.

However, the Northern District of Texas rules that the court is not authorized to further reduce Hurd's sentence. The chief judge denied his motion. Under drug-sentencing guidelines, Hurd's sentence was already lower that it could have been.

Hurd could have been sentenced to life in prison because of the large quantity of drugs he was carrying.

The ex-Bear will remain at the federal prison in Bastrom, Texas, serving out the remaining full sentence. Hurd will be 40 years old when he's released -- well beyond his playing days.

When Hurd was charged, it was said that NFL lockers rooms were concerned that he would name clients and exposed other players and teams.