Marijuana grow operation found in former Broncos player's home

CENTENNIAL, Colo. - He was a popular running back with the Denver
Broncos, rushing for more than a 1,000 yards in 2004. Now, FOX 31 has
learned that Reuben Droughns is under investigation by the Drug
Enforcement Agency for growing marijuana inside his Centennial home.

Sources say Droughns is raising the medicinal marijuana defense, but the
DEA isn't immediately buying it. He's under investigation after federal
agents searched his Centennial home and found an indoor marijuana grow
operation in spare bedrooms.

Droughns was a running back for the Broncos from 2002 through 2004, and
then traded to the Cleveland Browns and in 2009 and eventually released
by the New York Giants.

A man pulled into the garage when a FOX 31 news crew visited his home,
but did not answer the door when we knocked.

We're told Droughns did not show investigators a medical marijuana card.
However, his mother and brother did.

Friends tell us that Droughns is a great guy who -quote- 'takes care of
his family to a fault."

While medical marijuana is legal in Colorado, possession and use still
violates federal law. Droughns was not under arrest as of Thursday
evening.

Sources explain that DEA policy is to not investigate grow operations
that are in compliance with state laws. So the fact the DEA continues to
investigate Droughns indicates they are not totally buying his
explanation.

Sources also say Droughns held regular poker games at his home, and some
question whether they crossed a legal line. We're told the feds are
aware of those allegations, but are not investigating.