Two out of four federal grand jury indictments handed up in Salt Lake City Wednesday charge defendants with cocaine crimes.
Those indicted were:- Martin J. Martinez, accused of possessing one kilogram of the illegal drug with the intention to distribute it, conspiring to distribute cocaine, and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The possession occurred on Feb. 4, the indictment claims.
- Maurice Cooke and Robert Martinez Taylor, charged with possessing approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine on Jan. 15 with the intent to distribute it, and with carrying a firearm in connection with a drug crime.
- Warren L. Rogers, listed by the U.S. attorney's office as a 41-year-old Manti resident, was charged with assaulting or interfering with a Postal Service employee, on Dec. 28, 1988.
- Samuel A. Simmons was charged with failing to appear before the federal court on Jan. 24. The indictment alleges that he was released to the federal halfway house in Salt Lake City pending sentencing in a separate case.
Stewart C. Walz, the acting U.S. attorney, said possible maximum sentences would be: for Martinez, 85 years in prison and a $4.25 million fine; for Cooke and Taylor, a possible life term and a $4 million fine on the first count, and five years plus a $250,000 fine for the second; for Rogers, three years and a $250,000 fine; for Simmons, five years and a $250,000 fine.