Tampa, FL – U.S. District Choose Charlene E. Honeywell has sentenced Jose Luis Pinargote-Baquerizo (37, Ecuador) to 16 years and 4 months in federal jail for conspiring to own with the intent to distribute over 2,700 kilograms of cocaine. Pinargote had pleaded responsible on August 23, 2022.
Based on courtroom paperwork and knowledge provided in open courtroom, between June and September 2017, Pinargote conspired to visitors over 2,700 kilograms of cocaine by three totally different vessels by the Japanese Pacific Ocean (pictures immediately beneath). These cocaine-laden vessels left the shores of Tumaco, Colombia, with a vacation spot of Mexico. On these three drug trafficking ventures, Pinargote employed six Ecuadorian mariners who set sail from Colombia to Mexico, paying them in U.S. {dollars} for his or her participation. Pinargote typically saved a portion of this cost as a price. He additionally offered logistical help for transporting the mariners from Ecuador to Colombia, arranging and paying for his or her transportation and resorts. Pinargote personally shepherded these mariners from Ecuador to Colombia, and on one event accompanied them immediately into Tumaco, Colombia.
On August 8, 2019, within the Japanese Pacific Ocean, Pinargote was discovered on board a cocaine-laden vessel (1,029 kilograms) by the Colombian Navy ({photograph} immediately beneath). Pursuant to an excellent provisional arrest warrant, Pinargote was despatched to a Colombian jail to await extradition to america.
On August 24, 2020, whereas awaiting extradition to america, Pinargote was inadvertently launched from a Colombian jail. Nevertheless, on February 6, 2022, he was interdicted within the Japanese Pacific Ocean on board a self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) vessel by the Colombian Navy, this time with 3,764 kilograms of cocaine on board ({photograph} immediately beneath).
Pinargote was once more arrested pursuant to the excellent provisional arrest warrant, despatched again to jail in Colombia, and extradited to america on March 2, 2022. In whole, Pinargote is accountable for trafficking over 7,500 kilograms (or 17,000 kilos) of cocaine, which is value roughly $225,000,000 USD.
This case was investigated by america Coast Guard and the Panama Specific Strike Drive, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Job Drive (OCDETF) Strike Drive comprised of brokers and analysts from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Legal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Job Drive South. Substantial help was additionally offered by the Division of Justice’s Workplace of Worldwide Affairs. The Narcotics and Harmful Drug Part’s Judicial Attaché’s Workplace in Colombia additionally assisted in facilitating the extradition. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level prison organizations that threaten america utilizing a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency method. Further details about the OCDETF Program will be discovered at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Legal professional David Pardo.
