Oscar Henao-Montoya, a Colombian national, has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. The sentencing was announced by Matthew Podolsky, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Louis A. D’Ambrosio, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Special Operations Division.
Henao-Montoya was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni after pleading guilty to one count of cocaine importation conspiracy. His co-conspirators, Rehinner Montoya-Garcia and Juan Felipe Santibanez-Cardona, also pleaded guilty and received sentences of 20 years and 15 years respectively.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky commented on the case: “Oscar Henao-Montoya and his co-conspirators sought to send a staggering quantity of cocaine from Colombia to the United States. Today’s sentence, and those previously imposed in this case, send a clear message that those who seek to traffic cocaine into the United States will pay a steep price for their actions."
According to court documents and statements made during proceedings, Henao-Montoya is linked through familial ties to international cocaine distribution networks. He is the younger brother of Orlando Henao-Montoya, former leader of the Norte del Valle Cartel in Colombia.
Between October 2020 and August 2021, Henao-Montoya met with DEA confidential sources in Colombia to plan large-scale cocaine shipments into the U.S., utilizing airstrips and ports under his control. He also discussed collaborations with corrupt members of the Colombian Air Force.
During these meetings with DEA sources, Henao-Montoya demonstrated his access to laboratories capable of producing significant quantities of cocaine. In one instance reported by DEA sources, Montoya-Garcia escorted a source to FARC-controlled territory where drug labs were reportedly guarded by FARC members.
To advance their smuggling operations, samples were provided for testing quality; an eight-kilogram sample was given in April 2021 as part of preparations for larger shipments intended for U.S markets.
In addition to his prison term, Henao-Montoya will serve four years of supervised release following his incarceration.
Matthew Podolsky praised contributions from various agencies including DEA’s Special Operations Division and Colombian National Police that facilitated this investigation led by Assistant U.S Attorneys Sam Adelsberg among others from Office’s National Security & International Narcotics Unit.