FARGO - A federal judge has delayed the trial for the alleged ringleader and four others in Operation Speed Racer, a major drug conspiracy case that authorities say led to murder.

Jorge "Sneaky" Arandas, who was arrested in California, is charged in an operation that allegedly brought methamphetamine and other drugs from Mexico and the West Coast to North Dakota and other states. He also is charged in the death of Lee Avila, 28, of East Grand Forks, Minn.

In an order filed Thursday, U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson moved the trial of Arandas and four others from Oct. 9 to Jan 22.

Arandas is facing a dozen charges in the case, including murder in furtherance of a continuing criminal enterprise. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.

"It is well-established in the record that this case is complex," Erickson wrote. "The print discovery alone exceeds 25,000 pages. Hundreds of hours of audio and video material exist in addition to these print materials."

Erickson said the case is further complicated by recent guilty pleas of several defendants, as well as the government's decision not to seek the death penalty against Arandas and two others charged in Avila's death.

"The court finds that the ends of justice served by granting the continuance outweigh the best interest of the public and the defendants in a speedy trial," Erickson wrote.

Prosecutors filed documents last month opposing a trial delay, but did not elaborate.

More than 50 people have been indicted in the case, but none has yet gone to trial. The defendants scheduled for trial are Arandas, Gabriel Martinez, Alan Wessels, Ramon Martinez and Derek Carlson.

Gabriel Martinez and Wessels also are charged in Avila's death. Ramon Martinez and Derek Carlson face drug charges.

Arandas' attorney, Steven Mottinger, said his client needs more time to review the evidence because the battery on his laptop computer lasts no more than three hours per day before it must be recharged.

Attorneys for Gabriel Martinez and Carlson also asked to postpone the trial to next year. Mark Meyer, Carlson's attorney, said his client would be more likely to reach a plea agreement if he had more time to negotiate.

Meyer said in his motion that the government "has been familiar with this case for many years and has all of the resources of the federal prosecutor's office available to it. The defendants do not."