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Ex-MLB Star Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Smuggling
A former Major League Baseball All-Star pitcher has pleaded guilty to possessing 20 kilograms of cocaine with intent to distribute, according to federal authorities.
Esteban Antonio Loaiza, 46, of Imperial Beach, California, admitted in a change of plea hearing before United States District Judge Janis L. Sammartino that he took possession of a silver Mercedes-Benz sport utility vehicle containing cocaine on February 9, 2018.
Loaiza, a former pitcher for the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers, drove the SUV to a townhouse he rented in Imperial Beach, where he transferred 20 kilograms of cocaine to another vehicle in the garage, with the intent to distribute the cocaine to another person.
The case is the result of ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Loaiza will remain on bond and subject to electronic location monitoring pending his sentencing hearing, which is scheduled to occur before Judge Sammartino on November 2, 2018, at 10:30 a.m.
The maximum penalty for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute is life imprisonment and a $10,000,000 fine.
Loaiza’s guilty plea is a significant blow to the MLB community, where he was once a celebrated player. His case is a stark reminder of the dangers of drug trafficking and the importance of law enforcement efforts to combat it.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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