Andrew Richard Rodarte, Cocaine Trafficking, North Carolina 2019

A California man was sentenced to 96 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine in North Carolina. Andrew Richard Rodarte, 73, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, aiding and abetting.

According to court documents, Rodarte was observed driving a semi-truck to a home under investigation in Littleton, North Carolina. He was seen meeting with individuals at that home, who unloaded duffle bags from the semi-truck. After leaving the home, Rodarte drove to a nearby truck stop. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at the home, where they located Luis Enrrique Arroyo-Jimenez and seized duffle bags containing a total of 80 kilograms of cocaine.

Officers located Rodarte at a truck stop in Halifax County and searched his semi-truck, where they found $2,055,141 in United States currency located in a hidden compartment.

Rodarte pleaded guilty on September 24, 2019, and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. His accomplice, Luis Enrrique Arroyo-Jimenez, pleaded guilty on November 7, 2019, and will be sentenced in June 2020.

The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Dena King prosecuting the case.

U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. made the announcement after Rodarte’s sentencing. The case is a significant blow to cocaine traffickers in the region and demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement to disrupting and dismantling these organizations.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:19-CR-48-D.

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