An applicaton for the extradition of a Co Wicklow man to face trial in the United States on conspiracy charges arising from his alleged links to a narcotics and drugs distribution website will be beard at the High Court in July.
Gary Davis (26), of Johnstown Court, Kilpedder, is wanted on charges of conspiracy to distribute narcotics, conspiracy to commit computer hacking and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The matter was briefly mentioned on Tuesday before the High Court where Mr Justice Paul McDermott fixed July 14th for the hearing of the extradition request. Mr Davis is opposing the application and argues he should not be surrendered.
The US authorities claim the Silk Road website, shut down by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 2013, was an underground website that hosted a “sprawling black market bazaar” on the internet, where items including drugs, firearms and counterfeit money were bought and sold.
Mr Davis is accused of acting as an administrator on the Silk Road website, using the name ‘Libertas’. He was arrested on foot of a warrant issued by the High Court in 2014.
Counsel for the Attorney General, Ronan Kennedy BL, asked the court to fix a hearing date in July. The matter had been going on since January 2014 and the Attorney General wanted it to proceed to hearing, counsel said.
A timetable for exchange of legal documents and submissions in the case had been agreed and his side estimated the hearing would take two days, counsel added.
Lawyers for Mr Davis said the hearing could take up to four days. There was considerable material in the case including expert medical evidence about a condition affecting Mr Davis known as Asperger’s syndrome, the court heard.
Mr Justice McDermott said the matter would be heard from July 14th with liberty to apply if difficulties arise. The judge remanded Mr Davis, who was in court, on continuing bail pending the hearing.