Tara K. McGrath, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California
Rodolfo Benjamin Silva, known as the "King of Coke," was sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison for his role in distributing large quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl in the United States. Silva also facilitated the movement of cartel hitmen into the country.
During the sentencing hearing, prosecutors portrayed Silva as a seasoned drug distributor based in San Diego who collaborated with Mexican partners to import narcotics. In October 2022, he provided a courier with significant amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl intended for Indianapolis; however, these drugs were intercepted in Oklahoma.
Silva's plea agreement included admissions of using violence to further his trafficking activities. Prosecutors revealed that he brought assassins from Mexico into San Diego for cartel operations. On one occasion, a hired assassin attempted to kill one of Silva's rivals.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and DEA in San Diego with support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Indiana and the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Goff is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative aimed at dismantling major drug traffickers and criminal organizations through multi-agency collaboration.
