Drug Trial Set Dec. 23 for Ex-Public Defender

A Dec. 23 trial date in San Fernando Superior Court has been set for a former public defender charged with distributing cocaine.

Kenneth Eugene Settle, 37, of Sylmar is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, eight counts of cocaine sales and a special allegation that he was accompanied by an armed associate, according to Deputy Dist. Atty. Michael J. Grosbard.

Judge Howard J. Schwab on Monday denied motions by attorneys for Settle and his two co-defendants to drop or lower bail. Settle is in custody in lieu of $250,000 bail.

Frank Garcia, 25, and Eric Lido Estrada, 18, are charged with conspiring with Settle in two of the alleged cocaine sales. Garcia and Estrada, both from San Fernando, are being held in lieu of $30,000 and $20,000 bail, respectively.

Settle, who served as a public defender for four months in 1988, was a private attorney with a limited practice when he was arrested on Oct. 2.

During a two-day preliminary hearing last month, a San Fernando police officer testified that he arranged for two informants to purchase cocaine from Settle eight times between Sept. 28 and Oct. 2.

Police say three of Settle’s brothers are tied to the Bryant Family reputed crime ring, which authorities believe oversees drug operations in 20 to 25 cities throughout the country and is responsible for 18 killings since 1982.