In a collaborative effort between U.S. and Honduran law enforcement agencies, Olvin Javier Velasquez Maldonado, 39, has been extradited to the United States. The extradition follows his alleged participation in a drug smuggling operation from Honduras to the U.S.
Court documents reveal that Velasquez Maldonado played a key role in a conspiracy involving approximately 24 kilograms of cocaine. This illegal cargo was aboard a vessel attempting to smuggle 23 Honduran nationals into the United States. In February 2022, the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted the M/V Pop, a 65’ sportfishing vessel, about 75 miles off the coast of Louisiana after it encountered engine trouble. The cocaine and undocumented individuals were uncovered following the interception, and the vessel was towed ashore. Velasquez Maldonado is alleged to have been responsible for the cocaine's transportation and safe delivery.
He faces charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Velasquez Maldonado appeared before the court in the Eastern District of Louisiana, where he was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Monday. Should he be found guilty, Velasquez Maldonado might serve a minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment. Sentencing will be determined by a federal judge in line with the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Other co-defendants have already accepted plea agreements or been convicted. Among them are Carl Allison, Darrel Martinez, Josue Flores-Villeda, and Lenord Cooper, each involved variously in the unlawful entry of aliens and narcotic distribution conspiracies. Hennessy Devon Cooper Zelaya and Rudy Jackson Hernandez were convicted for similar offenses following a trial.
The announcement of Velasquez Maldonado's extradition was made by several high-ranking officials, including Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and Eric DeLaune, the Special Agent in Charge from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans Field Office.
The investigation and subsequent extradition of Velasquez Maldonado were achieved through Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) and the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) Program. These initiatives focus on dismantling mafia-like cartels and cross-border criminal syndicates engaged in human smuggling operations impacting multiple Central and South American regions.
This case is under the broader spectrum of Operation Take Back America, which aims to mitigate illegal immigration and eliminate dangerous cartel networks.
A slew of agencies participated in the investigation and apprehension of Velasquez Maldonado, including various HSI field offices, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Coast Guard, and numerous local and state law enforcement bodies, with critical assistance from the Justice Department's Office of International Affairs and other prosecutorial and investigative partners.
The prosecution is being handled by Deputy Chief Rami Badawy and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter Guice, who stress that an indictment is not proof of guilt and that Velasquez Maldonado remains innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
