CHRISTIANSTED — A Puerto Rico native who prosecutors called the “manager” of a Venezuelan maritime smuggling operation trying to bring 661 pounds of cocaine to the region was handed a 25-year prison term by a federal judge on Thursday. Omy Gutierrez-Calderon, 39, of San Juan, was sentenced to 300 months in prison for conspiracy to […]
Tag: U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Puerto Rico Man Gets Over A Decade In Prison For Trying To Bring 661 Pounds Of Cocaine To The Region
CHRISTIANSTED — A federal judge today gave a Puerto Rico man 11.25 years in prison for trying to bring 661.387 pounds of cocaine to the region, authorities said. Anibal Vega-Arizmendi, 29, of Culebra, was sentenced to 135 months in prison for conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute and attempted possession of cocaine with […]
Convicted Felon Who Hid Semi-Automatic Pistol In Shipment of Tools To St. Croix Pleads Guilty In Federal Court
CHRISTIANSTED — A St. Croix convicted felon admitted in federal court today that he hid a semi-automatic weapon in a shipment of tools to St. Croix, authorities said. William Payne, 39, of St. Croix, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to one federal count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney […]
St. Croix’s Delroy Thomas Jr. Faces 10 Additional Years In Prison For Promising To ‘Rub Out’ Witnesses
CHRISTIANSTED — After a six-day trial, a federal jury today found Delroy Thomas, Jr., 28, of St. Croix, guilty of murder for hire, attempted murder and attempted retaliation against a witness, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert said. According to the evidence presented at trial, between March 9, 2015 to March 11, 2015, Thomas made […]
Four Drug Smugglers Arraigned On Charges Of Bringing 3,384 Pounds Of Cocaine To Region
CHARLOTTE AMALIE — Three South Americans and one Central American were charged in federal court today with drug smuggling in Caribbean waters patrolled by the United States, authorities said. Freddy Montano Paz, 29, Calixto Tumbaco, 41, Mariano Abregon, 42, and Hector Hernandez Saucedo, 48, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller for arraignment and detention […]
St. Croix’s Dequan Forde Admits To Smuggling 20 Pounds of Marijuana From MIA To STX
CHRISTIANSTED — A St. Croix man admitted in federal court on Thursday that he smuggled nearly 20 pounds of marijuana from Miami to Frederiksted last year. Dequan Forde, 21, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to one federal count of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert said. The offense […]
USAO: Three South Americans and One Central American Smuggled 3,384 Pounds Of Cocaine By Sea
CHARLOTTE AMALIE — Three South Americans and one Central American were charged with smuggling 3,384 pounds of cocaine into the region, authorities said. Freddy Montano Paz, 29, Calixto Tumbaco, 41, Mariano Abregon, 42, and Hector Hernandez, 48, were each charged with conspiracy to possess and possession of a controlled substance on board a vessel subject […]
‘Drug Kingpin’ Who Sold Out People Under Him Receives Reduced Sentence From Feds
CHRISTIANSTED — A “drug kingpin” who played ball with the feds in order to entrap the underlings in his crack cocaine operation received a reduced sentence in federal court on Monday. Robert Klyvert, 47, of St. Croix, was sentenced to five years in prison for distribution of crack cocaine, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert […]
Puerto Rico Man Gets 10 Years In Prison For Bringing 191 Pounds Of Cocaine To St. Croix
CHRISTIANSTED – A Puerto Rico man who brought 191 pounds of cocaine to St. Croix by boat got a decade in prison from a federal judge on Monday. Visiting U.S. District Court Judge Anne E. Thompson sentenced Jean Cruz-Albert, 28, of Puerto Rico, to the mandatory 10 years in prison for attempted possession of cocaine […]
St. Croix Crack Cocaine Dealers Get Slap On Wrist From Visiting Federal Judge
CHRISTIANSTED – Two St. Croix men were handed relatively light sentences of two years and one year in prison by a visiting federal judge after being convicted of charges related to dealing crack cocaine here. Nolly King, 36 of St. Croix, was sentenced Thursday for distribution of crack cocaine, and Thaddeus Hendricks, 39, was sentenced […]