Man sentenced to 10 years in prison for cocaine distribution in Pender County

Published: Monday, July 12, 2010 at 9:26 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, July 12, 2010 at 9:26 a.m.

An undocumented immigrant living in Leland was sentenced in federal court Thursday to 10 years in prison for drug-related convictions.

Luis Alberto Becerra, 27, pleaded guilty earlier this year to conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 50 grams or more of crack cocaine, according to a news release from the office of U.S. Attorney George E.B. Holding.

Becerra was arrested by Pender County Sheriff’s Office deputies and other officers in Pender County in March 2009 as he attempted to deliver 10 ounces of crack cocaine to a residence, the news release said.

An investigation revealed Becerra had been delivering drugs into the county for nine months prior to his arrest, and he was on probation at the time of his arrest for other drug-related convictions, the news release said.

Becerra’s arrest was part of an operation called Don Quixote by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, which investigated distributors of several types of drugs.

– Shannan Bowen

www.starnewsonline.com