TAMPA, FL – Virgil Cooper, 42, and Angelo Jordan, 49, both hailing from Ohio, are trading snow for steel bars after receiving substantial federal prison sentences today for their roles in a large-scale cocaine distribution conspiracy. U.S. District Judge William F. Jung sentenced Cooper to 19 years and 7 months, and Jordan to 15 years and 8 months, following a federal jury conviction on May 1, 2025. The pair were found guilty of conspiring to distribute and possessing with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and attempting to possess with the intent to distribute the same quantity.
The scheme, laid bare during a four-day trial, centered around Cooper’s attempt to source cocaine directly from Colombia. While still under supervision at a halfway house for a prior felony, Cooper reached out to a former cellmate who’d been deported back to his native Colombia. This connection led to an introduction with a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confidential source. In February 2023, a meeting was arranged in Tampa, showcasing 10 kilograms of cocaine to undercover officers. Unable to attend himself due to his halfway house restrictions, Cooper dispatched his co-conspirator, Jordan, on a grueling 17-hour drive from Ohio.
Evidence presented at trial, including surveillance footage (Government Trial Exhibit 6), clearly showed Jordan arriving in Tampa to inspect the cocaine. The meeting didn’t yield a deal at that time, but the conspirators weren’t deterred. Following Cooper’s release from the halfway house, the pair doubled down. On August 3, 2023, Cooper and Jordan flew from Cleveland to Tampa, carrying a hefty $120,000 cash down payment for an initial order of 30 kilograms of the drug. This time, they didn’t make it past the exchange. They were arrested before completing the transaction (Government Trial Exhibit 26).
“This case demonstrates the lengths to which criminals will go to profit from the misery caused by drug trafficking,” stated a source close to the investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Cooper tried to leverage international connections and use Jordan as a proxy, but law enforcement was one step ahead.” The DEA, with crucial assistance from the Tampa Police Department, meticulously built the case, tracking communications and coordinating the sting operations that ultimately brought the pair down.
The prosecution was handled by Special Assistant United States Attorney David Rehfuss and Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs, Jr. This wasn’t a standalone operation, however. The case was part of a larger Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, a program designed to dismantle the highest-level criminal organizations threatening the U.S. OCDETF employs a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach to target these groups. More information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
With Cooper and Jordan now facing nearly two decades behind bars, the message is clear: crossing state lines to peddle poison carries a steep price. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the ongoing efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks across the nation.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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