DE Greg Hardy avoids jail time on cocaine charges

March 5 (UPI) -- Greg Hardy, former defensive end for the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboy, avoided jail time on cocaine charges from last September.

According to Fox 4 in Dallas, Hardy struck a plea deal on Friday and was given two years' probation, community service and a $500 fine.

Hardy, 28, could have been sentenced to at least 180 days in jail and up to a $10,000 fine.

Policed in Richardson, Texas, on Sept. 25 stopped Hardy for a traffic violation and searched his car before finding a small bag with 0.7 grams of cocaine in a wallet. Hardy claimed someone put the drugs in his wallet as he was passing it around to pay for things.

"It went very well," Hardy told Fox 4 on Friday. "My lawyers did an awesome job. I'm just glad I have everything behind me so I can get back to work and get back to my life. I'll continue to train and stay out of their way. Stay out of trouble and keep my head down."

Hardy has been training at a Dallas-area gymnasium for a potential career as an MMA fighter.

In 2014, Hardy was convicted of domestic violence against his ex-girlfriend in a trial by a Mecklenburg County (N.C.) judge. Upon appeal, the conviction was overturned because the victim would not cooperate with authorities. While with the Panthers, Hardy spent most of the 2014 season on the commissioner's exempt list before the charges were formally dropped.

Hardy signed a one-year, $11.3 million deal with the Cowboys before the 2015 season. After serving a four-game suspension in response to a domestic abuse investigation, Hardy registered 35 tackles, six sacks, an interception and a forced fumble in 12 contests in 2015, before becoming a free agent in the offseason.

Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones announced last April that the Cowboys would not re-sign Hardy, who did not play in the NFL last season.