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Oral surgeon linked to Billings cocaine ring

Posted: Sep 1, 2010 6:36 AM
Updated: Sep 1, 2010 1:24 PM


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BILLINGS - Three people indicted on federal drug charges in Billings Federal court Monday, are allegedly connected to a cocaine ring that involved several former Billings Outlaws football players.

Oral surgeon, Dr. Jerry Mancuso, pleaded not guilty Monday to a five count indictment that assuces him of distributing more than 500 grams of cocaine from his office and home for the past eight years, dating back to January 2002.

Also charged in the case are 37-year-old James Darin Marker, a former assistant pro at the Laurel Golf club and 39-year-old Billings real estate agent Paula Huebner.

Mancuso is suspected of getting cocaine from Terra Chesarek, who prosecutors say was the main distributor for ex-Outlaws football player Shon Flores.

Flores pleaded guilty earlier this year to bringing about 20 pounds of cocaine to Montana from Salt Lake City and is currently serving more than six years for cocaine trafficking.

Chesarek was sentenced in July to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to dealing cocaine.

A total of 14 people have now been indicted in the cocaine conspiracy. Ten have pleaded guilty.

As for Dr. Mancuso's Rocky Mountain Center for Oral & Facial Surgery, a message on the business phone informs callers that as of Tuesday, the center is indefinitely closed, and refers patients to Dr. John Bennion at Billings Oral Surgery.

An assistant for Dr. Bennion told Montana's News Station that all Billings oral surgeons have agreed to help care for Dr. Mancuso's patients.

Topics: billings drugs cocaine

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