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Date: 10-16-2019
Case Style:
United States of America v. Angel Castro Garcia, Pedro Dino Cedado Nunez, Manely Enriquez and Mike Castro Martinez
Case Number: 1:19-cr-00033-JB-N
Judge: Jeffrey U. Beaverstock
Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama (Mobile County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: George F. May, Luis Peral and Scott Alan gray
Defendant's Attorney:
Call 888-354-4529 if you need help finding a conspiracy to distribute cocaine on board a vessel criminal defense lawyer in Mobile, Alabama
Description:
Court Sentences Four Drug Smugglers for Attempting to Smuggle 182 Kilograms of Cocaine into United States Territory
United States District Court Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock sentenced four drug smugglers: Angel Castro Garcia; Pedro Dino Cedado Nunez; Manely Enriquez; and Mike Castro Martinez, all Dominican Republic nationals, for attempting to smuggle 182 kilograms of cocaine from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico. The men were previously convicted at a jury trial concluding on June 28, 2019. Judge Beaverstock sentenced Angel Castro Garcia, Manely Enriquez and Mike Castro Martinez to 188 months imprisonment. Pedro Dino Cedado Nunez was sentenced to 132 months confinement. The Court recognized that Nunez was honest when confronted by law enforcement about his illegal activities.
The case arose when, on December 24, 2018, a United States Customs and Border Protection aircraft spotted a suspected drug smuggling vessel operating in international waters northeast of the Dominican Republic. The vessel was travelling on a known drug smuggling route to Puerto Rico. The aircraft notified the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and the USCG Cutter “Richard Dixon” proceeded toward the drug smuggling vessel. The USCG Cutter then launched an Over the Horizon (OTH) Zodiac type vessel from the Cutter with a four man crew.
The OTH USCG vessel interdicted the 25-foot Yola style drug smuggling vessel operating in international waters northeast of the Dominican Republic. The drug smugglers attempted to jettison most of the cocaine when they spotted the USCG OTH vessel. The four man Coast Guard crew recovered approximately 182 kilograms of cocaine in the water and on board the drug smuggling vessel. The cocaine had a retail value of nearly $30 million dollars in the United States.
Title 46 United States Code, § 70501 states: Congress finds and declares that (1) trafficking in controlled substances aboard vessels is a serious international problem, is universally condemned, and presents a specific threat to the security and societal well-being of the United States and (2) operating or embarking in a submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality and on an international voyage is a serious international problem, facilitates transnational crime, including drug trafficking, and terrorism, and presents a specific threat to the safety of maritime navigation and the security of the United States. Title 46 further provides that such offenses may be prosecuted in any United States federal district court.
The case was prosecuted by George F. May, Deputy Criminal Chief and Luis F. Peral, Lead Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Attorney. Appellate Chief Scott Gray also provided invaluable assistance on the case. The case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.
Charges:
Angel Casto Garcia:
CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE ON BOARD A VESSEL
(1s)
POSSESSION WITH THE INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE ON BOARD A VESSEL
(2s)
Pedro Dino Cedado Nunez
CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE ON BOARD A VESSEL
(1)
CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE ON BOARD A VESSEL
(1s)
POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE ON BOARD A VESSEL
(2)
POSSESSION WITH THE INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE ON BOARD A VESSEL
(2s)
Manely Enriquez
CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE ON BOARD A VESSEL
(1)
CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE ON BOARD A VESSEL
(1s)
CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE ON BOARD A VESSEL
(1s)
POSSESSION WITH THE INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE ON BOARD A VESSEL
(2s)
Mike Castro Martinez:
CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE ON BOARD A VESSEL
(1)
CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE ON BOARD A VESSEL
(1s)
POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE ON BOARD A VESSEL
(2)
Outcome: 10/16/2019 180 NOTICE OF APPEAL by Manely Enriquez (Jones, Andrew) (Entered: 10/16/2019)
10/16/2019 181 MOTION to Appoint Counsel On Appeal by Manely Enriquez. (Jones, Andrew) (Entered: 10/16/2019)
10/16/2019 REFERRAL OF 181 MOTION to Appoint Counsel On Appeal as to Manely Enriquez to Judge Beaverstock. (srd) (Entered: 10/16/2019)
10/16/2019 182 Appeal Instructions as to Manely Enriquez 180 Notice of Appeal - Final Judgment. Separate forms must be filed for each court reporter. Transcript Information Form to be filed no later than 10/30/2019. CJA 24 to be filed no later than 10/30/2019. (srd) (Entered: 10/16/2019)
10/16/2019 183 Transcript Acknowledgment filed by Court Reporter Cheryl K. Powell, CCR, RPR, FCRR, re: 179 Transcript Information Form for proceedings as follows: 6/3/19 JURY SELECTION; 6/27-28/19 JURY TRIAL before Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock, Transcript due by 11/12/2019. (ckp) (Entered: 10/16/2019)
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments: