SALT LAKE CITY — A judge ruled Friday that a Utah business owner must remain in jail after his legal team unsuccessfully lobbied for a pre-trial release.
According to court documents obtained by FOX 13 News, Jaafar Altalibi, 40, is one of 15 defendants facing up to 15 counts of federal drug offenses after being indicted by a grand jury in October 2022.
A statement from the U.S. Attorney's office describes Altalibi as an alleged ring leader of the drug trafficking ring, which sought to distribute, among other substances, synthetic cathinones, commonly referred to as "bath salts." The drug trafficking operation is alleged to have been distributing drugs in Utah for approximately a decade.
In November 2022, Altalibi's legal team filed a motion requesting a review of a detention order that had been issued by a district judge. The hearing to discuss the motion was held Wednesday, with the judge issuing his decision on Friday.
Altalibi's lawyers argued that the government did not meet its burden in demonstrating that Altalibi was a flight risk, citing data from the Pretrial Risk Assessment, the delay in taking him into custody, as well as his cooperation with law enforcement.
However, the judge noted concerns about his ability to access hidden or foreign funding, citing past actions taken by Altalibi to deposit money into a network that allows money to be invested or deposited without a paper trail.
If convicted, Altalibi faces a prison sentence lasting over 20 years. He and the other defendants also stand to lose multiple luxury vehicles, real estate properties, cash, and other assets with a combined worth of millions of US dollars.
Other suspects who are also charged in connection with the ring are the following Salt Lake County residents: 34-year-old Mountazar Altalibi, 43-year-old Haydar Altalibi, 42-year-old David Lovato, 54-year-old Allen Jervis, 26-year-old Hannah Taylor, 39-year-old Samantha Barber, 30-year-old Faris Musa, 39-year-old Hussein Alsalemi, and 31-year-old Khadim Musa. Roble Abdinoor of Seattle is also charged, along with "foreign national" Martinus De Koning.
Court documents state that Smokers Haven J, LLC and Lake City Auto Sales, LLC are allegedly involved in the ring as well.
A trial date has yet to be set.
