Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia
Four Mexican nationals and two Ecuadoran nationals have been sentenced for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to court documents, on February 24, 2024, a helicopter from the Coast Guard Cutter Munro detected a go-fast vessel (GFV) without identifying nationality markings approximately 450 nautical miles southwest of Acapulco, Mexico, in international waters. The Munro was patrolling nearby and diverted to intercept. A long-range interceptor small boat was launched to the last known position of the GFV.
The helicopter observed the GFV jettisoning a fuel barrel and used warning shots to halt the boat. The LRI arrived, and a boarding team took control of the GFV.
Six individuals were aboard the GFV: Rudi Euriel Santos Bernal, Juan Manuel Gastelum Valenzuela, Ronny Rosado Alvarez, Juan Ramon Vega Cardenas, Manuel Rodrigo Otero Rivera, and Kennedy Samuel Rivera Flores. None claimed nationality for the vessel. Permission was granted to treat it as "without nationality," allowing full law enforcement boarding. The team safely located and transferred all contraband to the cutter, including 38 bales of cocaine with an estimated at-sea weight of 1,790 kilograms.
Gastelum Valenzuela pled guilty on August 19, 2024, and received a two-year prison sentence on December 18, 2024.
Rosado Alvarez and Rivera Flores pled guilty on August 20, 2024. Both were sentenced to two years in prison; Rosado Alvarez on December 18, 2024, and Rivera Flores on December 19, 2024.
Otero Rivera and Vega Cardenas pled guilty on July 29, 2024. Otero Rivera was sentenced to two years in prison on December 11, 2024. Vega Cardenas received a sentence of two years and three months in prison on January 21.
Santos Bernal pled guilty on September 18, 2024, and was sentenced to two years in prison on January 21.
Erik S. Siebert from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced this along with Ibrar A. Mian from DEA's Washington Division and Kai Wah Chan from Homeland Security Investigations Washington D.C.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric M. Hurt and Kevin M. Comstock prosecuted this case.
Further information is available through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia or by searching Case No. 4:24-cr-15 via PACER.
