THE SIDELINES : Igwebuike Pleads Innocence

Minnesota Vikings place-kicker Donald Igwebuike pleaded innocent today to charges that he helped finance an attempt to smuggle $1-million worth of heroin from Nigeria.

The football player, clad in a gray suit, did not speak during a brief arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Thomas Wilson.

Defense attorney Frank Winkles entered the plea on behalf of Igwebuike, and Wilson gave him 21 days to file pretrial motions in the case to be heard before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Kovachevick. No trial date was set.

Igwebuike, 31, was indicted Nov. 9, two weeks after ABC News reported that prosecutors in Tampa had “irrefutable” evidence linking him to an attempt to smuggle heroin into the United States from Nigeria.

U.S. Atty. Robert W. Genzman has declined to discuss specifics of the case, but the place-kicker is charged with smuggling conspiracy, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and importation of heroin. If convicted, he could face up to 120 years in prison and $6 million in fines.