Bermudian businessman Curtis Simons has been jailed for ten years in America for drug offences.

Now the Smith's Parish man and ex-Spinning Wheel nightclub manager is pinning his hopes on an appeal.

Yesterday it emerged Simons was fighting his conviction and sentence.

Simons was convicted by a New York jury of conspiring to import at least eight kilograms of cocaine from Curacao in the Dutch Antilles to Bermuda, via America. The drugs were worth up to $200,000.

He was also convicted of attempting to import cocaine into the United States.

Simons, who is in his 40s, had denied the allegations.

German-born co-defendant Andres Geson, who has relatives in the Dutch Antilles, was found guilty of conspiracy, but was cleared of the second charge. He is awaiting sentence.

The jury had to return unanimous verdicts for the pair to be convicted.

Yesterday Assistant US Attorney for New York's eastern district, Frank McClain-Sewer, who prosecuted, said Simons reacted "stoically'' when Judge David A. Trager sentenced him.

Bermudian jailed in US for drugs From Page 1 Mr. McClain-Sewer said Simons was given ten-year concurrent sentences on each count.

"He is now in one of the US prisons, although I don't know which one.'' He added the prosecution was satisfied with the sentence, which accorded with guidelines set down for the quantity of drug involved.

At one time it was thought Simons could be facing a life sentence.

"The Court of Appeal has not yet set a date for argument on the appeal,'' said Mr. McClain-Sewer.

The hearing would be held at the US Court of Appeal for the 2nd Circuit in New York City, he added.

Simon's lawyer, James Druker, who before the trial expressed confidence his client would be cleared, could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The seven-day trial was held in August, 1996. Pending sentence, Simons' bail was continued while Geson was detained.

Simons -- who had been described as co-owner of Black Family Productions -- was arrested in a room at the Doubletree Hotel, Manhattan, in May 1995 by the US Drug Enforcement Agency, according to Mr. McClain-Sewer.

Geson, represented by Robert Wolf, was extradited from Curacao.

Simons was held in custody in New York, but later released on bond. A judge allowed him to visit Bermuda before his trial to see his family and attend to his business affairs.

It is understood Bermuda Police helped the DEA with the investigation.