Marijuana Dealer Sold To Kansas Basketball Players, According To Prosecutor

Players on the 2010-11 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team allegedly bought marijuana from a man being charged in a large-scale distribution ring, according to a federal prosecutor.

Samuel Villeareal III is being charged by the U.S. District Court along with 25 other defendants for conspiring to distribute over 1,000 kilograms of "high-grade" marijuana over a four-year period. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead said that investigators found text messages on Villeareal's iPhone linking him to the players. Villeareal appeared at a number of Jayhawk basketball games, as well.

"At one occasion law enforcement had Mr. Villeareal this basketball season at the Sprint Center sitting behind the KU basketball bench with a number of the players," Morehead said. "So we know that he had probably not only a personal relationship with them but a professional relationship as well."

KU athletic director Sheahon Zenger declined comment, as did men's basketball coach Bill Self who acknowledged that he was hearing about the allegations for the first time. The Kansas City Star also tried to contact the 16 members of the 2010-11 squad. Of the four they reached, Jeff Withey and Royce Woolridge said they did not know Villeareal. Elijah Johnson and Jordan Juenemann declined to comment.

More information about Villeareal's connection with the team was not contained in the 44-page complaint and supporting affidavit.

For more on the Jayhawks, head over to the SB Nation blog Rock Chalk Talk.