Two men charged in a cocaine conspiracy which led to the seizure of 80 kilos and more than $2 million in cash are scheduled for arraignment in September.
Federal court records show Andrew Richard Rodarte and Luis Enrrique Arroyo-Jimenez, the men charged by the Drug Enforcement Administration following an investigation on Aurelian Springs Road, are scheduled to appear before District Judge James C. Dever III on September 23 in Raleigh.
Attorneys have been ordered to conduct a pre-trial conference by August 13. Motions are due by August 27 and responses to those motions are due by September 10.
The documents note the government is holding as exhibits photos of the duffle bags in which the cocaine was stored and a photo of the money which was found in the tractor-trailer Rodarte reputedly drove to the residence of Arroyo-Jimenez in the Littleton area earlier this month.
Rodarte has already been remanded to remain in federal custody pending the arraignment. Arroyo-Jimenez is awaiting his detention hearing Thursday after a motion for continuance was approved.
Last week Magistrate Judge James E. Gates allowed the government’s motion for Rodarte’s detention pending trial. “The court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that there is no condition or set of conditions to reasonably assure the appearance of the defendant as required if the defendant were to be released before trial,” a summation of the order says.
Last Tuesday a grand jury returned true bills of indictment against the men, charging they conspired to knowingly and intentionally distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and aided and abetted each other by possessing with intent to distribute the cocaine.
The indictment says forfeitable property includes, but is not limited to, the $2,055,141 in currency seized during the sting on July 16.
According to a criminal complaint members of the DEA conducted an investigation of suspected drug traffickers in Halifax County.
As part of that operation, investigators observed a mobile home in the 9000 block of Aurelian Springs Road in the Littleton area.
During the operation a semi-truck arrived at the residence. The driver of the vehicle was later identified as Rodarte.
Investigators then observed several individuals exit the residence and approach the vehicle. The individuals then accessed the sleeper compartment of the vehicle and unloaded several large duffle bags which were taken inside the residence.
Rodarte then left the residence.
Inside each bag were approximately 20 kilograms of cocaine for a total of 80 kilos. The substances were later field tested and the results were positive for cocaine.
Rodarte, according to the complaint, admitted to transporting the seized cocaine and said he had made at least five similar trips to other locations.
A subsequent search of his vehicle yielded the bulk currency.
