Grand Juror Tipped Off O.J. to Search, Feds Charge

MIAMI – A federal grand juror was charged Monday with telling associates of O.J. Simpson that the home of the former football star was going to be searched as part of a drug investigation.

John Acosta, 31, was charged with obstruction of justice. Prosecutors scheduled a news conference for later Monday.

Simpson's house was searched last week by federal agents as part of the investigation into an Ecstasy drug ring also tied to money laundering and satellite TV equipment theft.

Yale Galanter, Simpson's attorney, told reporters following the search that he had been warned that authorities might serve a search warrant on his client. He declined to elaborate.

Galanter had no immediate comment on the charge against Acosta.

Federal agents have arrested 11 people as part of Operation X. Simpson was not among those taken into custody -- he could be seen playing with his dogs during the search -- and his lawyer said the former football star had done nothing wrong.

Acosta heard testimony and saw evidence about the drug ring, FBI agent David Magnuson said in an affidavit filed Friday.

According to the affidavit, Acosta alerted defendant Zenaida Galvez to the investigation. The FBI said Acosta was a friend of Galvez's boyfriend.

Galanter has said Simpson's only connection to the case was that his name was mentioned in a phone conversation taped by federal authorities. He said Simpson has no involvement in the ring and doesn't know why his name was mentioned.

Simpson moved to Florida from California after a civil court jury ordered him to pay $33.5 million for the 1994 slayings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman in Los Angeles. He was earlier cleared of criminal charges.