Carlos Manuel Boria, Cocaine Robbery, Texas 2012

Three Men Handed Massive Sentences In Attempted Cocaine Robbery

In a shocking turn of events, three Colombian nationals have been ordered to prison for lengthy terms following multiple convictions in an attempted cocaine robbery case in Houston, Texas. Carlos Manuel Boria, Francisco Javier Rodriguez, and Edwin Rivera-Otero were handed massive sentences in federal court on October 1, 2012.

Boria, 41, was handed a nearly 41-year-term of federal imprisonment, while Rodriguez will serve nearly 18 years in federal prison, and Rivera-Otero will serve more than 34 years in federal prison. The trio was convicted of aiding and abetting the possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during the commission of a drug trafficking crime, conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, and conspiracy to use a firearm. Boria and Rivera-Otero were also convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court records, Boria was the organizer who brought others into the conspiracy and had been in Houston illegally since 1998. Rivera-Otero occupied a managerial role, was found with a false identification, and was arrested less than nine months after release from prison on previous drug conspiracy charges in the Western District of Texas.

Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) testified that they interdicted a group of seven individuals who were preparing to rob a cocaine stash house of multiple kilograms of cocaine. The group was dressed in clothing identifying them as police and planned to use firearms to subdue any occupants of the stash house.

In the midst of trial, Boria and Rivera-Otero also entered guilty pleas to aggravated identity theft and false claims to United States citizenship. Boria was ordered to serve a total of 405 months in federal prison for all but the aggravated identity theft and the aiding and abetting use of a firearm charges, which resulted in respective terms of 24 and 60 months in federal prison, to be served consecutively for a total sentence of 489 months. Rivera-Otero received a 327-month-term in addition to the mandatory 24 months for the identity theft and 60 months for the firearms charge for a total sentence of 411 months, while Francisco Javier Rodriguez will serve a total of 211 months in prison – 151 months for all but the aiding the use of a firearm charge which added an additional 60 months.

As illegal aliens, all are expected to face deportation proceedings following release from prison. In handing down the sentences, Judge Melinda Harmon noted that Boria was the organizer of the group and had a history of illegal activity in the United States.

Carlos Manuel Boria, 41 years in prison for aiding and abetting the possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during the commission of a drug trafficking crime, conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to use a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, aggravated identity theft, and false claims to United States citizenship, Houston, Texas, October 1, 2012.

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