Jamaican strongman Christopher Coke has pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges in US Federal Court. Coke faces a maximum of 23 years in prison, although the deal does not involve any further cooperation with the government. “I’m pleading guilty because I am,” he said to Judge Robert Patterson, Jr. Coke, whose extradition request from the United States eventually led to a state of emergency in Jamaica, acknowledged his involvement in distributing more than three tonnes of marijuana and more than 30 pounds of cocaine. In his statement, he said “a person gave someone narcotics on my behalf, on my instructions.” Just last week, the court had denied Coke’s request to have wiretap evidence against him excluded from the trial. [NYT]
