Related Federal Cases
- Naomi Ruth Smith, Child Sex Trafficking, M.D. Florida, 2023 · Georgia
- Octavius R. Henderson Sentenced to 20 Years for Cocaine Trafficking… · Florida
- Lawrence E. Tipton, Cocaine Trafficking and Tax Evasion, Ohio, 2023 · Washington
- King Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin Cocaine and Metha… · Florida
- Michael Danzey Sentenced for Leading Fentanyl Cocaine Ring, New Yor… · Florida
Tampa Man Sentenced to 17 Years for Cocaine Trafficking
Tampa, FL – Luis Moreno-Valencia, a 45-year-old Colombian national, has been sentenced to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for his role in a massive cocaine trafficking operation. Moreno-Valencia pleaded guilty on February 15, 2018, to conspiring with others to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine on vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and for conspiring with others to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine intending that it be unlawfully imported into the United States.
According to court documents, Moreno-Valencia was the organizational head of a Colombian-based drug trafficking organization responsible for arranging the transportation of several maritime smuggling ventures in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. In November 2014 and December 2015, the U.S. Coast Guard interdicted over 800 kilograms of cocaine aboard vessels commonly referred to as ‘go fast boats.’
This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force South.
The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Palermo.
Moreno-Valencia’s sentencing marks a significant blow to the Colombian-based drug trafficking organization he led. The operation had been responsible for smuggling massive quantities of cocaine into the United States, putting countless lives at risk.
Law enforcement agencies are continuing their efforts to dismantle and disrupt international drug trafficking organizations like the one led by Moreno-Valencia. This case serves as a reminder of the importance of cooperation and coordination between agencies in the fight against drug trafficking.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
