Smallville Star Begins Yearlong Prison Sentence for Hawking Hillbilly Heroin

Former TV star checks into federal facility in California after pleading guilty to co-conspiracy charge for role in massive oxycodone-based drug ring

By Gina Serpe Dec 12, 2011 5:57 PMTags
Sam Jones, SmallvilleThe WB / Brian Cyr

This ain't no Lindsay Lohan sentence. This is the real deal.

Former Smallville star Sam Jones III checked into federal prison last week to begin serving a nearly yearlong sentence for his admitted role in a massive drug ring after pleading guilty last year to conspiracy to sell more than 10,000 oxycodone pills.

If only Clark Kent's alter ego could save him now.

The Lompoc Correctional Facility confirmed to E! News that the 32-year-old (who had been publicly claiming to be 28...tsk, tsk!) checked into the low-security California facility Dec. 6. While he was sentenced to 366 days behind bars, he has an expected release date of Oct. 12, 2012.

Jones was busted in a DEA raid way back in 2009 after authorities discovered him attempting to sling the painkiller otherwise known as hillbilly heroin. In June of this year, the actor was sentenced to serve the hefty time behind bars, and once he's done late next year, he still won't be finished making up for his misdeed—he's also required to serve three years' supervised probation.

Jones pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge last December for his role in the ring, dubbed the "Hollywood Connection," for trading in the illegal purchase and distribution of the drug.

Probably not how he hoped to spend Christmas, but there you go. If that doesn't get him on Santa's naughty list, nothing will.

—Reporting by Baker Machado