A federal jury has convicted Gildo Ricci, a 69-year-old resident of Rockville, Maryland, on charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Ricci, a citizen of Peru and a lawful permanent resident of the United States, was apprehended at Dulles International Airport in Virginia after arriving from Bogota, Colombia.

According to court records and evidence presented during the trial, Ricci was subjected to a secondary inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers on April 25, 2024. During this inspection, several desserts and other food items were found in his possession. Upon applying pressure to one item, it emitted a white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine hydrochloride.

Further examination revealed that cakes carried by Ricci were unusually heavy. When an officer attempted to probe one cake with a knife, the blade could not penetrate it. The top layer was removed to reveal a foil-wrapped brick inside each cake containing cocaine hydrochloride. Additionally, soup mix packets also contained cocaine hydrochloride. In total, CBP officers discovered 2.07 kilograms of cocaine hidden within Ricci's food items.

In one of Ricci’s suitcases, authorities found a child's backpack containing $7,750 in counterfeit currency.

Ricci faces up to 20 years in prison upon sentencing scheduled for April 25. Federal sentences are typically less than the maximum penalties as determined by U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The announcement was made by Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kai Wah Chan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington D.C.; and Matthew S. Davies, Acting Director of CBP’s Baltimore Field Office after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the verdict.

The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher M. Carter and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony R. Roberts.