High-Level International Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that SERGIO GRIMALDO age 34, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess and distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.  GRIMALDO’s organization distributed more than one-thousand kilograms of cocaine throughout United States, to include Jackson, Mississippi, Pensacola, Florida, New York City, New York, and Houma, Louisiana.

U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced GRIMALDO to serve 195 months incarceration, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.

According to court documents, in September 2009, Drug Enforcement Administration Agents seized cocaine hydrochloride in Houma and in April of 2010, the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted a controlled purchase of cocaine hydrochloride from a co-conspirator in Beaumont, Texas.

GRIMALDO was extradited from Mexico in July 2014, based on a warrant from the Eastern District of Louisiana.  EFRAIN GRIMALDO, co-defendant and the brother of SERGIO GRIMALDO, was convicted of the same offense following a jury trial and was sentenced to 405 months imprisonment.  SERGIO GRIMALDO was also affiliated with NOE JUAREZ, the former Houston Police Officer who was convicted by a federal jury on drug and firearm charges and was sentenced to 365 months imprisonment.

U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration New Orleans Office, DEA Houston HIDTA Task Force, Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police Troop C, Houma Police Department and Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys John F. Murphy and Theodore R. Carter III were in charge of the prosecution.