Drug defendants face court hearings

July 21, 2008 03:03 pm

— OTTUMWA — David Horvath, the last of 10 suspects arrested in Friday's drug raids, is in federal court today for an initial appearance.
The U.S. Attorney's office said Horvath, 39, was scheduled to appear before a judge at 11:30 a.m. Monday. It's the first step in the road to a potential trial, albeit a small one. The appearance usually lasts only a couple of minutes.
A larger hearing to decide whether probable cause exists to continue the case against the other nine defendants is scheduled later this week. Horvath is expected to be added to that hearing as well.
All 10 defendants are charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The case erupted early Friday morning when 200 law enforcement officers were involved in near-simultaneous raids at 12 Ottumwa locations. The raids also shut down the Plowboy and The Dugoug, two Ottumwa bars run by William Albert Edwards III, one of the defendants.