Vegas prosecutors say tech billionaire facing drug charges

A billionaire California tech mogul who funds "Marsy's Law" crime victim rights campaigns nationwide was hit yesterday with felony drug charges following his arrest last summer in a Las Vegas hotel suite with what police said were briefcases full of drugs.

Broadcom Corp. co-founder Henry T. Nicholas III and a woman who was with him, Ashley Fargo, face five drug trafficking and two drug possession charges in a criminal complaint filed in state court in Las Vegas. Nicholas stepped down as president and CEO of the company in 2003.

The two have been free without bail pending charges since their arrests Aug. 7 at the Encore resort. They're due for arraignment March 11.

Nicholas' attorney, David Chesnoff, and Fargo's lawyer, David Brown, denied wrongdoing and said they'll fight the allegations.