Taji "Verbal" Lee, a man sent to prison for 30 to 60 years after being convicted of coordinating one of the largest drug rings in the county, was denied both a new trial and a modified sentence yesterday.

Although Judge Bradley P. Lunsford commended what he called Lee's "excellent argument," he chose to deny all 11 motions for either a new trial or a reduced sentence.

Dave Gorman, the senior deputy attorney general who prosecuted Lee during the summer trial and represented the commonwealth yesterday, remained silent during the appeals.

"I was fairly confident that was what the judge would do," Gorman said.

Lee's attorney, Ron McGlaughlin, spent an hour arguing that discrepancies in Lee's July trial warranted a re-trial and that Lee's 30- to 60-year prison sentence was excessive. Officials have said Lee's sentence is the harshest drug-related sentence ever handed down in Centre County.

McGlaughlin said a prison sentence as long as Lee's should be for repeat offenders and not for his client.

Lunsford said although Lee was only convicted once, his trial proved he committed numerous drug-related crimes between 2002 and 2004.

McGlaughlin also presented numerous arguments in support of Lee having a new trial, including entrapment and perjury. Lunsford said he found no reason to grant these requests.

However, Lunsford did allow Lee the rights to some of his property confiscated before the trial, such as a watch and diamond bracelet belonging to Lee's wife. Lee said he knew Lunsford was going to deny him a new trial, but the real reason he was there was to get his wife's jewelry back.

McGlaughlin has 30 days to file an appeal to Lunsford's decision. If an appeal is granted, it will allow Lee's case to advance to the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. There, McGlaughlin and Lee will again fight for a new trial and a modified sentence.

McGlaughlin said Lee has been studying the law and the specifics of his case while in prison and has been a crucial aid in the appeals process.

"Lee probably does more research than I do," McGlaughlin said. He consulted with Lee during the hearing before speaking to the judge.

Gorman said the next appeal will not occur for quite a few months, but now that the case has elevated to the state level he will no longer be working with the case.

"Pretty much, my part in this case has come to a conclusion," he said.