Otoniel pleads not guilty before a New York judge

The head of the Colombian criminal gang Clan del Golfo, Dairo Antonio Úsuga David, alias Othnielpleaded not guilty this Thursday before a federal judge in New York, after being extradited yesterday from Colombia.

Otoniel, who appeared dressed in an orange jumpsuit and a mask, is accused, among other things, of “leading an ongoing criminal enterprise” between 2003 and October 2021, when he was captured, and “participating in an international conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine, knowing and with the intent that the drugs would be illegally imported into the United States.”

Look: Who is ‘Otoniel’, the bloodthirsty Colombian drug lord extradited to the United States?

Through his lawyer, Arturo Hernández, Othniel He gave up asking for his release on bail while the trial begins and asked that the trial be held by jury.

Judge Vera Scanlon, who reminded the culprit of his rights, underlined the complexity of the case, due to the period it covers and the large amount of evidence collected by the Prosecutor’s Office.

He also set the next hearing for June 2.

After the appearance, Hernández assured several media outlets that in the United States, unlike Colombiaconstitutional rights are respected and he denounced that he had not been able to meet with his client until his extradition.

“I like to have the opportunity to talk to my client, because in Colombia they didn’t allow me to,” stressed.

An hour before the hearing, which began a few minutes after 3:15 p.m. local time (7:15 p.m. GMT), the US government announced the charges against Otoniel, whom it considers one of the “most dangerous” capos in the world, through a press conference. which he blames for exporting tons of cocaine to the country.

The extradition of Othniel This was possible after the Council of State, Colombia’s highest contentious-administrative court, lifted a precautionary measure granted last week to victims’ organizations, mainly from the department of Chocó, who wanted to prevent this delivery to the United States, since they consider that Othniel he should answer first for his crimes in his country.

Source: Elcomercio

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