Pretrial conferences set for April 4 in Coke case

NEW YORK (CMC):

A United States federal judge has set April 4 for pretrial conferences in the case against alleged Jamaican drug kingpin Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.

Judge Robert Patterson of the federal district court in Manhattan said the new date is necessary for prosecutors and defence attorneys to review discovery materials and file possible motions.

Coke, who last June was extradited to the United States from Jamaica, has pleaded not guilty to drug and weapons charges.

He was taken into custody in Jamaica and waived his right to an extradition hearing there.

According to a superseding indictment filed in Manhattan federal court here, Coke has led a criminal organisation known as the 'Shower Posse' since the early 1990s, with members in the United States, Jamaica and other countries.

"At Coke's direction and under his protection, members of his criminal organisation sold marijuana and crack cocaine in the New York area and elsewhere, and sent the narcotics proceeds back to Coke and his co-conspirators," said the US attorney for the Southern District of New York in a statement.

"Coke and his co-conspirators also armed their organisation with illegally trafficked firearms," it added.

Coke is charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana and conspiracy to illegally traffic in firearms.

If convicted on the narcotics charge, prosecutors said he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, as well as a fine of up to four million US dollars.