CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A St. Thomas man who was caught at the airport with 2.35 pounds of cocaine taped to his torso was sentenced Thursday to 2.5 years in prison by a federal judge.
Miguel Batista, 27, of Charlotte Amalie, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (cocaine), U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert said today.
According to court documents, Batista was subject to inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers during routine screening at the Cyril E. King Airport.
During the inspection, officers located a vacuum-sealed package of cocaine weighing approximately 1.07 kilograms taped to Batista’s torso, which was concealed under a compression shirt and another layer of clothing.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and CBP investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle R. Payne prosecuted the case.