Trial date set for man accused in money laundering case

GREENCASTLE -- A trial date has been set for one of two men charged in June with money laundering.

Eury David-Rodriguez, 24, of Pleasantville, N.J. is set for jury trial on Nov. 17 for one charge of Class C felony money laundering. A final pretrial conference in the case is set for Oct. 28, and any plea agreements must be filed by that date.

Oct. 28 is also the date that any motions pertaining to the jury trial must be filed.

David-Rodriguez was arrested June 24 during a traffic stop on I-70 westbound in Cloverdale. According to court records, a vehicle driven by David-Rodriguez was clocked doing 80 mph in a 70 mph speed zone.

Court documents said officers felt David-Rodriguez exhibited "suspicious indicators," and a narcotics detection K9 unit was called to the scene.

A search of the vehicle David-Rodriguez was driving turned up $95,000 in cash, which was found in a false compartment. According to court records, the K9 immediately sat when he sniffed the currency removed from the vehicle, "indicating a positive alert to the odor of narcotics on the currency."

David-Rodriguez's bond was originally set at $20,000, but was modified in early July, when he posted bond and was released from jail. As a term of his bond, he was required to sign a waiver of extradition.

David-Rodriguez hired Greencastle attorney Darrell Felling to represent him. He has appeared in person for all his court dates.

David-Rodriguez's co-defendant, Israel Ramos Ortega, 41, of Philadelphia, was also charged with Class C felony. He also received a bond reduction and was released from jail on July 13.

He is set to be in court today for a pretrial conference. He is also being represented by Felling.

Money laundering is when money gained through illegal activity is transported and put into circulation. The fact that a drug detection dog alerted to the vehicle gave the state probable cause to believe the large amount of cash located in it was associated with drug trafficking.