By Tashieka Mair, Star Writer

WESTERN BUREAU

One of two United States citizens who are facing charges of attempting to export cocaine was denied bail in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Twenty-one-year-old Ashley Kerr who is charged jointly with 32-year-old Kevin Whitely, both of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded not guilty to possession of, dealing in and attempting to export more than a kilogram of cocaine.

She will remain in custody until their October 5 court date.

Whitely, who is born in Jamaica and has relatives in Norwood, St. James, was granted bail in the sum of $400,000 with one or two sureties. He is expected to report daily to the Mount Salem Police Station and was ordered to surrender all travel documents.

A stop order was also imposed on him at all ports of exit.

Allegations

The allegations outlined in court are that the two accused checked in at the Sangster International Airport on September 25 to board a Delta Airline flight to Atlanta, Georgia.

Kerr was stopped and searched at the security checkpoint. Two packages of cocaine were found strapped to her waist. Another package was found strapped to her right thigh. A further search of her person revealed another package of cocaine in her vagina. The total weight of the drug is 1.5 kilograms.

She allegedly told the narcotics police that she was forced to carry the substance and said that Whitely held her against her will and strapped on the packages and also inserted the one found in her genitals.

Whitely was later held in the departure lounge, but denied knowing about the drug.