Jonathan Eric Gardiner, a convicted drug trafficker, had his emergency petition for immediate release from U.S. custody denied without prejudice by a New York judge today.
“The proper procedure for reviewing Mr. Gardiner’s pretrial detention is for his counsel to reach out to the Clerk’s Office (5A) to request a bail hearing before the on-duty Magistrate Judge,” the judge stated.
This ruling came just a day after the U.S. government filed an indictment against Gardiner. He is facing three charges, which include: cocaine importation conspiracy; firearms use, carrying and possession; and firearms conspiracy.
The indictment, filed in the U.S. Southern District of New York, alleges that Gardiner conspired with others to commit these crimes from at least May 2021 to approximately May 2026.
The indictment claims that Gardiner, along with several known and unknown accomplices, was involved in importing controlled substances into the United States from various foreign locations. The importation conspiracy, as outlined in the indictment, involves the manufacturing, distribution, and possession of these substances with the intent to distribute them, all while knowing they would be unlawfully imported into the U.S., including waters within 12 miles of the coast.
Additionally, it is claimed that Gardiner participated in these activities aboard a U.S.-registered aircraft. He is also accused of knowingly using and carrying firearms during the commission of the crime described in Count One. Furthermore, he faces charges for possessing firearms to facilitate these criminal activities and for aiding and abetting others in their use and possession of firearms.
On election day, May 12, Gardiner was on a plane that departed Marsh Harbour, Abaco, heading to Freeport, Grand Bahama. The aircraft later crashed into waters off Florida, with the U.S. Coast Guard rescuing 11 survivors.
Two days later, the U.S. government filed a criminal complaint against Gardiner, alleging that he had been transporting tons of cocaine through The Bahamas with the support of Bahamian government officials and high-ranking politicians. Yesterday’s indictment adds to Gardiner’s ongoing legal troubles.
