$1 MILLION cash, 100 pounds of cocaine seized from border truck
Virginia raid involves over 100 pounds of cocaine, $1M cash, border-crossing truck
By Terry Ward | Posted: Sat 10:18 PM, Oct 22, 2016 | Updated: Sat 11:04 PM, Oct 22, 2016
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WHSV) — A tractor-trailer made 16 crossings of the Mexico-U.S. border in the last half year, according to the Associated Press paraphrasing court records. The truck allegedly was carrying lots of contraband.
"When the men were arrested on Thursday law enforcement officers seized approximately 54 kilograms (119 pounds) of cocaine and 100 bundles of shrink wrapped cash containing $5,000 to $10,000 each," said the U.S. Dept. of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia in a Friday statement.
The DoJ statement said four men were charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine:
- Marvin O’Neal Carter, Sr., 49, of Newport News, Va.
- Daniel Rodriguez (AKA Daniel Lopez-Rodriguez), 49, from Calif.
- Hilario Rodriguez (AKA Hilario Lopez-Rodriguez), 50, of Calif.
- Michael Stephen Kuna, 42, of Canada
The DoJ statement said: "Agents observed the arrival of a tractor trailer at a garage leased by Carter. The tractor trailer eventually off-loaded the trailer next to the garage, and shortly thereafter agents observed Michael Kuna, and Daniel and Hilario Rodriguez arrive and park in Carter’s garage parking lot. The four men then allegedly worked together to unload cocaine from hidden compartments located underneath the trailer. A short time later, Kuna was observed loading two large duffel bags with green straps into a vehicle before leaving the area. Law enforcement agents conducted a traffic stop on Kuna and located the two duffel bags which emanated with the odor of wet currency."
Newport News police officers joined the FBI and DEA in "executing two federal search warrants on the garage and on the trailer," the DoJ statement added.
"The search of the garage also led to the recovery of a firearm and a quantity of heroin, in addition to approximately $42,000 in cash from a safe."
The court will look at sentencing guidelines and other factors. "Each defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, if convicted," said the DoJ.
"A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime," said the DoJ. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until judged guilty in a court.
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