Venezuelan Men Caught with 573 Pounds of Pot

St. Croix, USVI – Seven Venezuelan men, Felix Gomez, 37; Roman Jose Aguilera Gig, 37; Jesus Garcia, 34; Rosauro Morao, 47; Manuel Rodriguez, 51; Juan Rodriguez, 25, and Jhoan Gomez, 28, were charged with conspiracy to possess controlled substances on board a vessel and possession of controlled substances on board a vessel.

The men, all of Venezuela, made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge George W. Cannon, Jr., after being detained by the Coast Guard out of San Juan on May 11, 2017. The Coast Guard had interdicted a suspicious go-fast vessel in international waters off Martinique on May 8, 2017, and seized multiple bales of marijuana that tested positive for controlled substances.

The Coast Guard transported the men and approximately 573 pounds of marijuana to St. Croix on Thursday, May 11, 2017. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The interdiction was the result of ongoing, multi-agency and international law enforcement efforts in support of Operation Unified Resolve and Operation Caribbean Guard. The case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Coast Guard. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.

Acting United States Attorney Joycelyn Hewlett reminded the public that a complaint is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

A detention hearing is scheduled for May 23, 2017. The case highlights the ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking in the Caribbean region.

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