Former Bridgehampton basketball player denied bail

A federal magistrate Friday denied bail for one of five former Bridgehampton high school basketball players arrested and charged with dealing crack, after a hearing about whether there were children in a car with Kareem Coffey during a drug transaction.

After Coffey's girlfriend and a Southampton detective testified in federal court in Central Islip Friday, U.S. Magistrate Judge E. Thomas Boyle ruled that the prosecution showed "clear and convincing evidence" that Coffey, 29, of Noyack, "is a danger to the community."

On Thursday, Coffey's attorney, Richard Miller of Commack, presented a bail package consisting of $350,000 in equity on the home of the parents of the deceased mother of Coffey's 10-year-old daughter and $10,000 cash from an uncle.

Boyle asked for Friday's hearing to explore Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond Tierney's claim that Coffey sold crack in November while two children sat in his car.

Southampton Town Police Det. Sgt. James Kiernan testified Friday that a confidential informant, who purchased five grams of crack from Coffey on Nov. 15, 2009, saw two children in a gold Buick that Coffey was driving.

"He said he couldn't believe there were kids in the car," Kiernan said.

Kimberly Del Rio, 19, Coffey's girlfriend since July, said she and her friend, 18, were in the car with him that day when he stopped to speak with an old friend in a green truck. She said "it was very uncommon," for children to be riding in his car.

When Boyle denied the bail package, Coffey turned around and put his head in his hands. "Thank you for trying," he said to his supporters.