The attorney for convicted drug kingpin Taji Lee said Friday that he plans to file a motion for the judge to reconsider Lee's conviction by the end of the week -- signaling that Lee plans to appeal his 30- to 60-year state prison sentence.

Lee's attorney, Ron McGlaughlin, said this is the first step in Lee's appeal process.

Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira said he is confident the case made by the Pennsylvania State Attorney General's office against Lee was "very strong" and will hold up against an appeal.

Madeira added that because he is confident in the case, he is leaning toward not charging Lee in connection with a prison fight in which Lee allegedly beat another inmate and sent him to the hospital.

Madeira said he has not made a final decision, but he added that the costs to the county to press charges against Lee for the June 22 incident "seem to be a waste of the taxpayers' money."

McGlaughlin said he expected Lee to be transported out of Centre County prison sometime Friday.

He said Lee will be taken to Pennsylvania Department of Correction's Central Office in Camp Hill, and his risk level will be assessed. Like all inmates, Lee will be classified as either a maximum, medium or minimum security risk and then transferred to a state correctional institution that meets his security level.

Centre County Judge Bradley Lunsford sentenced Lee to 30 to 60 years in a state prison facility June 18 on 26 drug-related counts.

Lunsford said Lee was arguably the largest drug dealer Centre County has ever seen.