Drug charges facing New England Patriots safety Patrick Chung have been conditionally dismissed, the Belknap County Attorney’s Office announced Monday.
“The State has agreed that it will file what is known as a ‘conditional nolle prosequi’ of the charges,” Belknap County attorney Andrew Livernois said in a statement obtained by WPRI’s Yianni Kourakis and ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
As part of the agreement, Chung must remain on good behavior for two years, submit to periodic drug testing once per month for the first 12 months and every 90 days for the period thereafter, and complete 40 hours of community service connected to drug-abuse prevention and education within 18 months.
Twenty hours of Chung’s community service are required to take place in New Hampshire.
Chung, 32, was indicted on a felony charge of possession of cocaine last August after police responded to a security alarm at his Meredith, N.H., lake house on June 25.
“There are several factors which led the State to agree to this resolution,” Livernois’ statement continued. “First, Mr. Chung has no prior criminal record nor any prior involvement with the criminal justice system. Second, Mr. Chung was fully cooperative with the Meredith Police Department on the evening of the incident involved. Third, the amount of drugs which were allegedly in Mr. Chung’s possession and/or control was small. Fourth, Mr. Chung has provided proof to the State that he has voluntarily undergone a full substance-abuse evaluation, and that said evaluation indicated that Mr. Chung does not need any substance-abuse treatment.”
Chung started 12 with the Patriots in 2019, recording 51 tackles and three pass deflections. The Oregon product has spent 10 of his 11 NFL seasons in New England after arriving in the second round of the 2009 draft, and is under contract through 2021.