An attorney for Michael Avenatti says his client cannot properly prepare for his extortion trial while he is housed in drug kingpin El Chapo's chilly former cell.

Attorney Scott Srebnick wrote in a letter to a federal judge Sunday that the onetime lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels needs to be transferred from solitary confinement at the Metropolitan Correction Center in New York City to the general population in the federal lockup.

Avenatti was arrested last week in California after prosecutors said he violated bail conditions.

He is scheduled to stand trial on charges he tried to extort $25 million from Nike.

The correction center did not comment.

Avenatti has declared his innocence.

He was previously arrested at a bar court hearing in Los Angeles where state lawyers were seeking to prevent him from practicing law because he allegedly stole from clients.

Court documents supporting his arrest lay out several schemes orchestrated by Avenatti to hide his assets from creditors and continue to live a lavish lifestyle amid debts surpassing $10 million.

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