Said Imberly Chino Lucero, Cocaine Smuggling, Virginia 2023

Alexandria, Va. — A cross-border cocaine scheme unraveled at Dulles International Airport when federal authorities arrested Said Imberly Chino Lucero, 28, a U.S. permanent resident from San Juan, Mexico, after he allegedly carried 500 grams or more of cocaine concealed in candy packaging through customs. The arrest on October 5 triggered a federal investigation that led to a grand jury indictment charging Chino Lucero and Carlos Andres Herrera-Fernandez, 35, of Lanham, Maryland, with conspiracy to import cocaine, importation of cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute.

Court records reveal the drugs were smuggled inside luggage on a commercial flight, cleverly hidden within fake candy wrappers designed to deceive inspectors. Chino Lucero allegedly acted as the courier, bringing the narcotics from Mexico into the United States, while Herrera-Fernandez is named as a key co-conspirator who coordinated elements of the distribution network from Maryland. Investigators believe the operation was part of a larger drug trafficking pipeline originating in Mexico.

The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia, exposes the high-stakes game both men now face. Each count carries a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years per count. The statutory maximums, set by Congress, reflect the severity of the charges, though actual sentences will be determined by the court using advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Clark E. Settles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, confirmed the charges following the grand jury’s decision. The case is being handled by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Raizza K. Ty, who is leading the prosecution.

Documents related to the case, including the indictment and pretrial filings, are publicly available through the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and via PACER under Case No. 1:16-cr-250. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has also released a formal statement detailing the charges, accessible on their official website.

It is important to note that an indictment contains only allegations. Said Imberly Chino Lucero and Carlos Andres Herrera-Fernandez are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The federal trial will determine whether the evidence supports the charges of conspiracy, importation, and intent to distribute a controlled substance on U.S. soil.