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Date: 12-05-2018
Case Style:
United States of America v. Arnulfo Fagot-Maximo
Case Number: 1:15-cr-00290-LO
Judge: Liam O'Grady
Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (Arlington County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: Anthony G. Aminoff, James L. Trump and Thomas W. Traxler
Defendant's Attorney: Mark J. Petrvich and Thomas B. Walsh
Description:
Fairfield, VA - Jury Convicts Honduran Drug Trafficker of Cocaine Conspiracy
A federal jury in the Eastern District of Virginia convicted a Honduran man yesterday of leading a drug trafficking organization that helped smuggle thousands of kilograms of cocaine into the United States over the last decade.
Arnulfo Fagot-Maximo, 57, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine knowing that the cocaine was to be unlawfully imported into the United States following a five-day trial before U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Fagot-Maximo had been extradited to the United States following his indictment in the Eastern District of Virginia. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Arnulfo Fagot-Maximo was the leader of a drug trafficking organization based in the La Mosquitia region of the Departamento Gracias a Dios, Honduras. His organization was a critical link between Colombian cocaine suppliers and other major Honduran traffickers. For over a decade, Fagot-Maximo received cocaine from Colombia along the Mosquitia coast by “go fast” boats, small aircraft, and submersible vessels in quantities ranging from a few hundred to several thousand kilograms per delivery. Most of this cocaine was transferred to the Montes Bobadilla organization in Francia, Honduras, where it was received by other traffickers. Eventually the cocaine was transported by land through Honduras and Guatemala, and it was then delivered to Mexican cartels for importation into the United States. Fagot-Maximo received tens of millions of dollars in U.S. currency for the sale and delivery of this cocaine.
He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison when sentenced on March 29, 2019. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the DEA as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Harpoon through DEA’s HIDTA Task Force in Annandale Virginia. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
Assistance in the investigation and prosecution was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of New York, the Middle District of Florida, and the Southern District of Florida, as well as assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Honduran National Police. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs assisted with the extradition in this matter.
Charge:
21:959(a),963 Conspiracy to Distribute Five Kilograms or More of Cocaine Knowing and Intending that it will be Unlawfully Imported into the United States FORFEITURE
(1)
Outcome: 12/03/2018 204 Minute Entry for proceedings held before District Judge Liam O'Grady:Jury Trial Day 5 as to Arnulfo Fagot-Maximo held on 12/3/2018. Appearances entered; same as previous days for counsel. Interpreter Angeles Estrada appears and sworn in substitution for Erin Gaston. Counsel present closing arguments. Jury deliberates. Jury returns a verdict of Guilty as to Count 1. PSR Ordered. Sentencing set for 3/29/2019 at 09:00 AM in Alexandria Courtroom 1000 before District Judge Liam O'Grady. Detention continued. (Court Reporter N. Linnell.)(awac, ) (Entered: 12/03/2018)
12/03/2018 209 ORDER denying 138 Motion to Suppress as to Arnulfo Fagot-Maximo (6). Signed by District Judge Liam O'Grady on 12/3/2018. (awac, ) (Entered: 12/04/2018)
12/03/2018 210 FINAL EXHIBIT LIST by USA as to Arnulfo Fagot-Maximo (awac, ) (Entered: 12/04/2018)
12/03/2018 211 FINAL WITNESS LIST by USA as to Arnulfo Fagot-Maximo (awac, ) (Entered: 12/04/2018)
12/03/2018 212 FINAL EXHIBIT LIST by Arnulfo Fagot-Maximo (awac, ) (Entered: 12/04/2018)
12/03/2018 213 Jury Instructions as to Arnulfo Fagot-Maximo (awac, ) (Entered: 12/04/2018)
12/03/2018 214 TRIAL CERTIFICATE OF REVIEW as to all parties (awac, ) (Entered: 12/04/2018)
12/03/2018 215 Jury Question #1 as to Arnulfo Fagot-Maximo (Attachments: # 1 Judge's Response)(awac, ) (Entered: 12/04/2018)
12/03/2018 216 JURY VERDICT (redacted) as to Arnulfo Fagot-Maximo (6) Guilty on Count 1. (awac, ) (Additional attachment(s) added on 12/4/2018: # 1 Jury verdict (unredacted)) (awac, ). (Entered: 12/04/2018)
12/03/2018 217 ORDER directing parties to maintain custody of all exhibits offered and admitted by either party during, following trial and appeal period. Signed by District Judge Liam O'Grady on 12/3/2018. (awac, ) (Entered: 12/04/2018)
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments: