Anibal Vega-Arizmendi, Cocaine Conspiracy, Virgin Islands 2023
A federal jury convicted Anibal Vega-Arizmendi, age 29, of Puerto Rico, of conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute and attempted possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
On June 26, 2018, the jury delivered the guilty verdict against Vega-Arizmendi and five co-defendants on cocaine-related charges. The evidence presented at trial revealed that the organization planned the mid-sea retrieval of over 300 kilograms of cocaine during the period of the conspiracy, January 2014 through March 2016.
Approximately 223 kilograms of cocaine were actually distributed by the drug organization. Law enforcement efforts to interdict some of the drug shipments were successful, beginning in 2015. In October 2014, Vega-Arizmendi and others effected the mid-sea retrieval of 71 kilograms of cocaine.
Between December 13 and 15, 2014, he assisted others in attempts to retrieve 30 kilograms of cocaine mid-sea. Witnessed testified that Vega-Arizmendi functioned as a boat operator. Between November 7, 2015 and November 12, 2015, he and others made several unsuccessful attempts to retrieve 87 kilograms of cocaine from mid-sea.
Anibal Vega-Arizmendi was sentenced to 135 months in prison by District Court Judge Wilma A. Lewis. Additionally, he was sentenced to five years of supervised release and ordered to pay a fine of $2,000,000 and a special assessment of $300.00.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alphonso G. Andrews, Jr. and Everard E. Potter.
Fourteen individuals were originally charged as part of the drug trafficking organization. Prior to trial, six defendants entered guilty pleas and were sentenced. Of the six that were convicted on June 26, 2018, five have been sentenced and one is awaiting sentence.
Key Facts
- State: Virgin Islands
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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