ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A federal jury convicted two men today for their role in a conspiracy to import heroin and cocaine into the United States from El Salvador.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Rosemberg Martin Majano, 40, of Lithia Springs, Georgia, and Jose Alejandro Orellana Montalvo, 25, of Woodbridge, were participants in a conspiracy to smuggle more than $400,000 worth of heroin and cocaine into the United States from El Salvador. Majano carried the drugs in his checked luggage on a flight from El Salvador into Washington Dulles International Airport. When Majano arrived at the airport, officers with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection discovered the heroin and cocaine concealed within food packaging in his luggage. Majano admitted that he was being paid to deliver the packages to someone in the airport. In an ensuing surveillance operation, special agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, identified Orellana Montalvo as the individual who was to pick up the narcotics from Majano. Orellana Montalvo was arrested after he tried to pick up Majano outside of a restaurant in Herndon.
Each man faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and maximum of life in prison when sentenced on March 30, 2018. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Patrick J. Lechleitner, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., and Casey Owen Durst, Director of CBP’s Baltimore Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas W. Traxler and Dennis M. Fitzpatrick are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:17-cr-204.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
