Federal jury convicts two of drug trafficking


By Donna Swicegood

Published: May 18, 2009

A federal jury in the Western District of North Carolina, Statesville Division, convicted Oscar Hernandez and Jaime Puente-Vasquez, both of Mexico, of drug trafficking following a two-day trial.
The return of the guilty verdictconcluded an investigation of drug trafficking by a multi-agency drug-fighting task force comprised of special agents and officers the United States Department of Homeland Security's Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Hickory Police Department, Catawba County Sheriff's Office, Iredell County Sheriff's Office, Davie County Sheriff's Office, Conover Police Department, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and United States Drug Enforcement Administration.
During the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized more than 20 pounds of cocaine, more than $520,000 in cash, and several firearms.
The indictment, which also included five other defendants who have previously pleaded guilty, charged Hernandez and Puente-Vasquez with two drug trafficking charges each, and Hernandez with two separate firearms offenses.
As a result of the verdict, Hernandez faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years to life imprisonment, and Puente-Vasquez faces 10 years to life.
According to the facts presented at trial, Puente-Vasquez was a drug deliveryman for a codefendant, and Hernandez was a purchaser and reseller for the organization. On the night of their arrest, Puente-Vasquez was caught while carrying five kilograms of cocaine intended for delivery to Hernandez to a vehicle.
Then, using the assistance of a cooperating defendant, law enforcement conducted a "sting" of Hernandez, who was caught with $100,000 cash and a firearm.
According to the evidence presented, the cocaine conspiracy started in the beginning 2007.
The announcement of the guilty verdict is made by Acting U.S. Attorney Edward R. Ryan and Del Richburg, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of ICE's Charlotte Office.
Following the conviction, U.S. District Judge Richard Voorhees announced that sentencing of the defendants would take place on a later date, and that they would be held in custody of the United States Marshal's Service pending that hearing.
The prosecution was handled for the government by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven R. Kaufman of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte.

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