An Overland Park, Kansas man is one of several defendants in a large scale marijuana distribution ring in the Kansas City area. The United States Attorney handling the case also made the assertion that the man, 32-year old Samuel Villareal, also supplied what is termed as “a number of players on the 2010-11 University of Kansas basketball team.”

Police obtained the man’s iPhone and traced text messages, and also performed surveillance on Mr. Villareal. Part of that surveillance included observing him sitting behind the Kansas bench at the Sprint Center with a number of Kansas basketball players. “So we know that he had probably not only a personal relationship with them but a professional relationship as well,” the U.S. attorney added.

No specific players were mentioned by the prosecutor or in the court records, and the KC Star contacted the athletic department and coach Bill Self, who denied comment and said they had no knowledge of Mr. Villareal.

[photo via US Presswire; h/t @ManCaveLists]