St. Thomas, USVI - Mikhail Munoz, 31, originally of St. Croix, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
According to court documents, on May 20, 2019, Munoz checked himself and a suitcase in for a flight bound from St. Thomas to Miami. When Munoz’s checked luggage passed through inspection with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), it set off an alarm, leading to the discovery of 18 "brick like" items, each of which was wrapped in aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and vacuum-sealed. Each of the brick-like bundles contained a white powdery substance that field-tested positive for cocaine. Collectively, the bricks weighed approximately 19 kilograms.
This offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, with a maximum of life; a term of supervised release of at least 5 years; and a fine of up to $10,000,000. Sentencing is scheduled for December 5, 2019.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the TSA, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith J. Edwards.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
