Judge denies bail request for Manning based on friend's $500,000 home

A federal magistrate has denied a bail request based on the offer of a longtime friend of Maurice Manning, the ex-Bridgehampton high school basketball star recently arrested and charged with dealing crack, to put up her Sag Harbor home as collateral for his release.

Attorney Richard Haley of Islandia had asked Federal Magistrate E. Thomas Boyle that Manning, 29, be released on bond backed by the $500,000 home. He said Manning's friend of 10 years, Jennifer Helmdag, 34, owns the home.

Manning, of Bridgehampton, and four other former Bridgehampton high school basketball players were arrested last week after a yearlong investigation by Southampton and federal authorities.

U.S. Attorney Raymond Tierney argued that it wouldn't be prudent to release Manning, who coaches basketball at a Southampton youth center. Tierney also noted that Manning was convicted in 2002 for criminal possession of a controlled substance and in 2008 for driving while intoxicated.

Helmdag declined to comment outside court.

Another defendant, Kareem Coffey, 29, also appeared before Boyle Thursday for his bail hearing. His attorney, Richard Miller of Commack, said the parents of the late mother of Coffey's 10-year-old daughter are willing to put up about $350,000 in equity of their Southampton home as bond. And an uncle is willing to provide $10,000 cash, Miller said.

Boyle is expected to make a decision Friday, after a hearing to explore Tierney's claim that Coffey, of Noyack, was seen selling crack while two children sat in the backseat of his car.

Miller said there were no children in the car and that the passengers were adults, Coffey's girlfriend and another woman.