Canadian man sentenced to 30 months in prison for importing cocaine into the united states through newark airport
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
May 2, 2012 |
NEWARK, N.J. – A Canadian man was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for smuggling more than 800 grams of cocaine into the United States from the Republic of Costa Rica, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Azariah Wilson, 24, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to an Information charging him with knowingly and intentionally importing 500 grams or more of cocaine into the United States. Judge Martini also imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On June 30, 2011, Wilson ingested 56 pellets containing cocaine before boarding a flight from San Jose, Costa Rica, to Newark Liberty International Airport. Wilson then flew to Newark – transporting 882.8 grams of cocaine. Wilson admitted he intended to travel to Newark Liberty International Airport, and from there to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, with the cocaine concealed in his body. When Wilson arrived at the airport in Newark, he was arrested by U. S. Customs and Border Protection officers.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martini sentenced Wilson to serve three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of ICE Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew M. McLees; and officers of CBP, under the leadership of Director of New York Field Operations Robert E. Perez, for the investigation leading to today’s sentence.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dara Aquila Govan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office General Crimes Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Assistant Federal Public Defender Linda Foster Esq., Newark
