Projo Pats Blog

WHITESTOWN, N.Y. (AP) - New England Patriots offensive lineman Nick Kaczur pleaded guilty Tuesday to speeding in a deal with prosecutors that will put a misdemeanor drug possession charge on hold.

The 28-year-old Kaczur was ordered to pay $355 in fines and fees by Whitestown Town Justice Stanley Wolanin, who said the drug possession charge will be dismissed if he stays out of trouble for the next six months.

The plea deal also requires Kaczur to comply with any type of treatment, monitoring or employee assistance program imposed by the Patriots, Oneida County Assistant District Attorney Grant Garramone said.

"We are pleased with this disposition," said Louis Viviani, a Syracuse lawyer who represented Kaczur at Tuesday's 10-minute proceeding.

"We don't think it is anything out of the ordinary given the facts and circumstances. Nick is ready to move on. He's happy it's over. He's ready to get started at camp tomorrow," Viviani said.

Kaczur, who was accompanied by his wife, had no comment.

Garramone also said Kaczur was given no special treatment because of his status as an NFL player.

"This disposition is typical of what many people charged with this type offense would receive," said Garramone, adding Kaczur had no criminal history and has a full-time job. "He's being treated in a manner consistent with hundreds of people who have come before him and the hundreds who probably will come after him."

Kaczur was originally charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail. He also was charged with going 76 mph in a 65 mph zone and driving with illegally tinted windows and a bad muffler.

According to police reports, Kaczur had 202 OxyContin pills labeled as made in Canada when he was pulled over April 27 by state troopers on the New York Thruway near Utica. OxyContin is a powerful and potentially addictive prescription painkiller that's also sold as a street drug.

Kaczur was returning from his hometown of Brantford, Ontario, when he was stopped.
According to published reports, Kaczur has helped federal authorities arrest the man accused of supplying him with the drug, Daniel Ekasala. Kaczur reportedly told federal drug agents he bought hundreds of oxycodone pills weekly from Ekasala starting in November 2007.

Ekasala's attorney has said his client was not the source of the pills police found in Kaczur's truck. Ekasala has pleaded not guilty to three counts of possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute, said his attorney, Bernard Grossberg.

The Boston Globe has reported that Kaczur wore a wire to help federal agents build their case against Ekasala. Affidavits filed by a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent said a cooperating witness wore a recording device during three drug buys in May in southeastern Massachusetts, but did not identify the witness by name.

Both Viviani and Garramone said they had no knowledge of the federal investigation and that it played no part in Tuesday's disposition.

The Patriots have said Kaczur remains on the team but has had no comment on any disciplinary action it might take against Kaczur, saying it was an internal matter.

Kaczur was drafted by the Patriots in 2005 after playing four years at Toledo, where he was the first player in school history to make the All-Mid American Conference team in four seasons. He has started 35 games for the Patriots over three seasons, but missed the team's final regular season game Dec. 29 with a foot injury. He also was out for several games early in the 2006 season because of a shoulder injury.

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