Colombian Smuggler Jaramillo Sentenced to 15 Years for Cocaine Run

Tampa, FL – A Colombian man has been handed a 15-year sentence for his role in a major cocaine-smuggling operation that involved more than 1,000 kilograms of the illegal substance. Francisco Heleno Jaramillo, 40, from Colombia, South America, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James S. Moody, Jr., after pleading guilty on December 19, 2016.

Jaramillo was found responsible for orchestrating several marine smuggling ventures in international waters. His operations included the interception of over 1,000 kilogram loads of cocaine aboard vessels, commonly known as ‘go-fast boats,’ which traveled from Venezuela to the Dominican Republic. The drugs were seized by the United States Coast Guard during two separate incidents in July 2013 and January 2014.

This case was a collaborative effort of the Panama Express Strike Force, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The task force involved agents and analysts from various U.S. law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force South. The primary goal of the OCDETF program is to dismantle major drug trafficking organizations.

Special Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Castaneda led the prosecution in this case, ensuring that Jaramillo faced justice for his significant role in the international cocaine trade.

Jaramillo’s conviction and sentence serve as a stark reminder of the relentless efforts of U.S. law enforcement to combat drug trafficking and protect the nation from the devastating impacts of illegal drugs.