NEW YORK – A Colombian known as "The Madmen" has pleaded not guilty in federal court in New York to charges he led a drug organization that produced hundreds of tons of cocaine and funneled revenue to terrorist organizations.
Daniel Barrera Barrera made his first court appearance Wednesday in Manhattan.
The charges could carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years or a maximum of life in prison on conviction. He also faces charges in federal court in Miami, where he would be taken after the court cases are completed in New York.
Prosecutors have described him as one of the largest cocaine distributors in history.
Authorities say Barrera laundered tens of millions of dollars of profits as he processed about 30,000 kilograms of raw cocaine into cocaine powder each month since 1998.
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
