Tampa, FL – Javier Monserrate Vazquez, a 47-year-old man from Wesley Chapel, has been sentenced to 27 years in federal prison for his role in a massive cocaine trafficking and money laundering operation in Pasco County.
A federal jury found Vazquez guilty of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy against the United States, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, suborning perjury, and contempt of court on October 16, 2023.
According to evidence presented at trial, Vazquez was a key supplier of cocaine in Pasco County, receiving the drugs through the mail from Puerto Rico. His co-conspirators would then distribute the cocaine, while Vazquez laundered the profits through the Black-Market Peso Exchange.
But Vazquez’s crimes didn’t stop there. In 2018, agents discovered a package containing two kilograms of cocaine addressed to one of his co-conspirators, and a search of his cellphone showed that Vazquez had coordinated the pickup. In another instance, Vazquez delivered over $171,000 in cash to an undercover agent for the purpose of laundering the funds to Colombia.
But Vazquez’s behavior became increasingly erratic and violent, threatening to kill an associate over an unpaid drug debt. He even induced two people to sign affidavits claiming that he had no involvement in drug trafficking, which he then used to accuse federal agents of misconduct and potentially end their careers.
Vazquez’s actions were so brazen that he even kept in contact with potential witnesses against him through an encrypted phone application and a contraband prison cellphone. He also paid up to $10,000 for his co-defendant’s attorney in exchange for his silence.
U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber sentenced Vazquez to 27 years in federal prison, ordering him to forfeit $250,000. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Tampa Police Department and the Largo Police Department.
Related Federal Cases
- Wesley Chapel Kingpin Sentenced to 27 Years for Cocaine, Money Laundering, and Witness Tampering · Puerto Rico
- Utica Man Sentenced to Life for Cocaine Trafficking, Money Laundering · Puerto Rico
- Orlando Heroin & Cocaine Ring Busted: 7 Face Federal Charges · Puerto Rico
- Norton & 12 Others Sentenced in FL Cocaine Ring · Puerto Rico
- Puerto Rican Woman Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Distribution · Puerto Rico
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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