Marijuana is now legal in the state of Colorado but that doesn't mean that everything associated with the drug is above board. In fact, Allison Sylte of 9News in Colorado brings word of a massive government drug bust that made its way into the sporting consciousness as a result of the alleged involvement of two former NFL players.
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Erik Pears and Joel Dreessen were involved in the investigation, though they were alleged victims in the money-laundering effort and were not involved in any crimes, according to the report. Pears, who played at Colorado State and with the Broncos until 2008, was in the mix and Dreesen, who also played at Colorado State and with the Broncos until 2014, actually came to the forefront with a letter from his attorney. Dreesen's attorney, Steve Peters, said the following to the news station in thinking he was making an above-board investment to state-licensed marijuana businesses.
"Mr. Dreessen was an innocent lender to a business that he was told was both lawful and properly licensed. Joel has been repaid all funds he provided and is glad to have this matter behind him."
The massive sting is referred to as "Operation Toker Poker" and the numbers surrounding the bust are damning. There have reportedly been 74 indictments involving 4,000 pounds of marijuana and more than 2,500 illegal marijuana plants. It should be noted that the former pro athletes were not in the mix of it all, but rather on the periphery as monetary investors, at least according to the reporting.
