Colombian ‘Gono’ Admits to Smuggling Tons of Cocaine into US

A Colombian citizen has admitted to conspiring to import hundreds of kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Colombia, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic.

Edgar Ruiz-Gomez, 57, also known as ‘Gono,’ pleaded guilty to count one of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to import five kilograms or more of cocaine.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Ruiz-Gomez and others conspired to import hundreds of kilograms of cocaine between 2016 and January 2020.

Ruiz-Gomez acknowledged holding a managerial role in this conspiracy, which involved more than five individuals.

The count to which Ruiz-Gomez pleaded guilty carries a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million.

Sentencing is scheduled for November 5, 2024, in U.S. District Court in Newark, New Jersey.

U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other law enforcement agencies for their role in the investigation.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which targets high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo represented the government in this case.

The government’s investigation and prosecution of this case is a significant blow to transnational cocaine smugglers.