http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,112539,00.html
ATLANTA  Baltimore Ravens (search) running back Jamal Lewis (search), who had the second-highest rushing total in NFL history last season, was indicted Wednesday on federal drug charges.
The Atlanta native is accused of trying to help a childhood friend buy cocaine in the summer of 2000. No drugs were ever purchased, according to the indictment.
The running back's attorney, Ed Garland, said his client was innocent and would surrender Thursday.
"Mr. Lewis wants everybody to know that he did nothing wrong," Garland said. "He was not part of any drug deal and any contention that he was is false."
The indictment came out of a drug investigation that has led to 30 convictions and helped dismantle a cocaine-trafficking ring in Atlanta, Duffey said. He refused to say whether Lewis was tied to that drug ring.
Lewis had one of the best seasons in NFL (search) history last year, finishing with 2,066 rushing yards and nearly eclipsing the single-season record held by Eric Dickerson. He also broke the single-game rushing record in 2003 and became one of only five running backs in NFL history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season.
Lewis was the fifth overall pick in the 2000 draft. The University of Tennessee star signed a six-year, $35.3 million contract with the Ravens that July -- during the same period addressed in the indictment.
In an affidavit, FBI special agent Hoyt Mahaley said that an informant contacted Lewis on his cell phone on June 23, 2000, to discuss selling cocaine to Lewis' friend. He said the conversation was recorded.
Mahaley said the informant "told Lewis that he/she was willing to sell the narcotics to Lewis' associates for a price that Lewis can tax," meaning the price could be marked up for a profit.
"And Lewis responded 'Yeah,'" the agent said.
Hours after the phone call, Lewis and an associate, Angelo Jackson, met with the informant at an Atlanta restaurant, the affidavit said. There, Lewis and Jackson asked the informant about his drug operation and how much cocaine the informant was capable of distributing, the affidavit alleges.
Lewis was no longer involved after the initial meeting at the restaurant, Mahalay said.
Lewis is charged with conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms of cocaine and using a cell phone in the commission of the alleged crime, Duffey said.
Jackson, who was also named in the indictment, was arrested Wednesday and made his initial court appearance.
In a statement, the Ravens said: "Jamal will have his day in court. There are two sides to every story. From what we know of the charges, these seem out of character for the Jamal we know."
In November 2001, Lewis was suspended for four games after violating the NFL's substance and alcohol abuse policy. The league did not disclose the details of the violation, in keeping with its policy.