Two individuals involved in a significant drug trafficking conspiracy, responsible for distributing large quantities of cocaine in Georgia and Florida, have been sentenced to federal prison, as reported by the US Department of Justice in the Southern District of Georgia.
Pedro Castro-Vasquez, also known as “Chipo,” a 53-year-old resident of Puerto Rico, and Sonic Torres-Garcia, a 27-year-old resident of Kissimmee, Florida, have both been sentenced after pleading guilty to multiple drug charges. U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall has handed down the sentences, with Castro-Vasquez receiving a 15-year prison term and a $1,500 fine. He will also be subject to three years of supervised release. Torres-Garcia, on the other hand, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison, which will be served consecutively to other pending state and federal cases. He will also have to pay a $2,500 fine and undergo three years of supervised release.
“The conspiracy identified in this multi-year investigation was responsible for importing and distributing large quantities of drugs in the Southern District,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tara Lyons. “Multiple law enforcement agencies persisted through this lengthy investigation in identifying the key players in this drug trafficking operation, holding them accountable for spreading misery in the Southern District.”
A drug trafficking conspiracy known as “Operation Carpet Ride” was uncovered in November 2022, according to a recently unsealed 49-count indictment. The operation was active in several counties in Georgia, including Bulloch, Burke, Candler, Effingham, Evans, Liberty, Richmond, and Tattnall, starting from January 2016.
Daniel Morales-Jimenez, also known as “Danny Hill,” led a conspiracy that involved importing significant amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, and other drugs from Puerto Rico into Florida and Georgia. He has pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges in both the Southern District and Puerto Rico and is currently awaiting sentencing.
Castro-Vasquez, a kilo-quantity distributor, was involved in obtaining cocaine from Morales-Jimenez and facilitating its importation into the continental United States for distribution in Georgia. Meanwhile, Torres-Garcia supplied kilos of cocaine to Demarr Clayton Lee, a Miami resident, and also coordinated the delivery of cocaine to the Southern District with the help of his family members. Lee, who admitted his involvement in the conspiracy, is currently serving a sentence of over 8 years in federal prison. Additionally, 26 other defendants in Operation Carpet Ride have pleaded guilty and are now serving sentences ranging up to 20 years in prison.
“This case represents the continued commitment of the Drug Enforcement Administration to identify and hold accountable those who engage in the distribution of dangerous drugs,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.