⏱ 2 min read
Ceasar Tubay Gelacio Jr, a 43-year-old Philippine national, pleaded guilty to smuggling nearly 200 kilograms of cocaine on an oil tanker from Ecuador to El Segundo, California. The incident occurred in May 2026, when Gelacio, an able-bodied seaman on the Aquatravesia, concealed the cocaine in the vessel’s garbage space and his room. The drugs were discovered by the crew, who alerted the captain, leading to Gelacio’s arrest on May 21, 2026.
According to court documents, Gelacio had agreed to possess and conceal the cocaine with an unknown person using the moniker ‘Luis’ while the ship was at port in Ecuador. The vessel traveled to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, where law enforcement recovered the cocaine.
Gelacio’s guilty plea comes with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 19, with Homeland Security Investigations and the US Coast Guard investigating the matter.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Monika L. Hara and Kyle W. Kahan of the General Crimes Section. Gelacio has been in federal custody since his arrest in May.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Drug Trafficking
- Defendant: California
- Location: CA
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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