Four Mexican and two Ecuadoran nationals have been sentenced in Newport News, Virginia, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The individuals were intercepted on February 24, 2024, by the Coast Guard Cutter Munro while patrolling the Eastern Pacific Ocean. A helicopter from the cutter detected a go-fast vessel without identifying markings approximately 450 nautical miles southwest of Acapulco, Mexico.
The vessel was stopped after a long-range interceptor small boat was deployed. Six individuals aboard were identified as Rudi Euriel Santos Bernal, Juan Manuel Gastelum Valenzuela, Ronny Rosado Alvarez, Juan Ramon Vega Cardenas, Manuel Rodrigo Otero Rivera, and Kennedy Samuel Rivera Flores. As no claim of nationality was made for the vessel, it was treated as "without nationality," allowing for a full law enforcement boarding. Authorities seized 38 bales of cocaine weighing approximately 1,790 kilograms.
Juan Manuel Gastelum Valenzuela pled guilty on August 19, 2024, receiving a two-year prison sentence on December 18, 2024. Ronny Rosado Alvarez and Kennedy Samuel Rivera Flores pled guilty on August 20, 2024; both received two-year sentences on December 18 and December 19 respectively. Manuel Rodrigo Otero Rivera and Juan Ramon Vega Cardenas pled guilty on July 29, 2024. Otero Rivera was sentenced to two years on December 11, while Vega Cardenas received a sentence of two years and three months on January 21. Rudi Euriel Santos Bernal pled guilty on September 18 and was sentenced to two years in prison on January 21.
The announcement came from Erik S. Siebert of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ibrar A. Mian from the DEA's Washington Division; and Kai Wah Chan from Homeland Security Investigations in Washington D.C.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric M. Hurt and Kevin M. Comstock prosecuted this case.
Further information can be found through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia or by searching Case No. 4:24-cr-15 on PACER.