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Mansa Pleads 'Not Guilty,' Federal Judge Continues His Detention Without Bail

Accused drug ring leader pleads not guilty to all charges at court appearance in Bridgeport.

A Federal judge refused to release Bethel resident Mark Mansa on bail Wednesday afternoon, declining to overturn another judge’s ruling that Mansa poses a threat to the community.

Wearing a khaki prison uniform, Mansa, 46, appeared before US District Court Magistrate Judge Holly B. Fitzsimmons in Bridgeport for a motion by his lawyer, Peter J. Schaffer of Stamford, to grant him bail.

Mansa is accused of being the leader of a drug trafficking ring that sold marijuana and anabolic steroids in the Danbury area.

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He entered pleas of not guilty for each of the offenses the government has charged him with. Schaffer said jury selection is scheduled to begin May 3.

Schaffer argued that other accused members of the ring have been released on bail even though they have prior criminal convictions, while Mansa has been held in detention since his arrest on Feb. 24, although he has no prior convictions.

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He said Mansa also has a job and two children. "He’s not willing to run and leave the country so he would never again see his children," Schaffer said.

The lawyer said Mansa’s mother, who came to the hearing, is willing to put up property worth $500,000 to secure his release, and that he could be detained at home wearing an electronic security bracelet.

Schaffer appealed to the judge for use of the "safety valve," a court doctrine that allows leniency on mandatory sentencing requirements for defendants who have no prior criminal convictions.

Special Assistant US Attorney Joseph Vizcarrando opposed releasing Mansa on the grounds that nothing had changed since Magistrate Judge William Garfinkle declared him a "danger to the community" at his arraignment on March 1.

Vizcarrando sought the ruling because he feared Mansa might threaten or intimidate witnesses in the case.

One of his co-defendants is Kevin Lubic, 48, of Salem, N.Y., a reputed member of the Hell’s Angels, and another is Richard Sciaccetano of Sturat, Fla., a reputed member of the Bonanno organized crime family.

The last co-defendant, Glenn Wagner of Brookfield, also has a prior criminal record, according to court testimony Wednesday.

Judge Fitzsimmons said the question of whether Mansa is a flight risk is secondary. More important is whether anything had changed since Judge Garfinkle’s ruling.

She also noted that an electronic bracelet could not ensure that Mansa wasn’t continuing to sell drugs.

Judge Fitzsimmons said although she was not bound by Judge Garfinkle’s ruling, she would not overturn it unless there had been some change in the case, and she agreed with Vizcarrando that there had not.

"The question is, what is there about this proposal that if Mr. Mansa is released, he will not engage in very serious conduct?" the judge said.

"In this proposal, I do not see enough to say that the community would have sufficient control to make sure Mr. Mansa does not engage in criminal conduct," Judge Fitzsimmons said in answer to her own question.

She noted his alleged offenses "had gone on for too long and too far under the radar."

Mansa is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess marijuana, conspiracy to distribute and possess anabolic steroids, and four counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of anabolic steroids.

Vizcarrando said in court that Mansa faces a maximum of 40 years and a $5 million fine for the marijuana conspiracy charge, and a maximum of 10 years and a $500,000 fine for each of the other charges.

As he was led back to detention, Mansa turned to his mother and other relatives and told them he loves them.

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