A recent criminal proceeding has resulted in the head of a large drug cartel being sentenced to a lengthy prison term. The federal drug trafficking case included allegations that drugs were shipped to areas throughout the United States, including Florida. The 23-year-old drug leader entered a guilty plea in January.
The young man was accused of being a leader of the Gulf Cartel. The crimes he has admitted to committing include possession with intent to distribute marijuana and cocaine, as well as conspiring to launder money. A U.S. District Judge recently sentenced the man to 30 years in a federal penitentiary.
In addition to the lengthy prison sentence, the man was also ordered by the judge to pay a judgment of $100 million. The investigation resulted in information that suggested that drug trafficking had taken place across many states, including Texas, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia and Florida, among others. One-half ton of cocaine and 90 tons of marijuana were apparently shipped into Texas and then reshipped to various locations within the country.
Approximately $100 million was said to have been laundered by the drug trafficking organization. The man who was sentenced as a leader in the organization reportedly began working for the cartel as a teenager. He was arrested by federal agents in Texas in Oct. 2014. Federal drug trafficking cases like this one often span large geographical areas. Those in Florida who face similar charges retain the right to seek legal counsel to protect their interests at all stages of the proceedings, from the time they are arrested throughout the process of trial preparation and contesting the charges against them in court.
Source: panews.com, “Reputed Gulf Cartel head sentenced to 30 years“, Mary Meaux, June 30, 2015
