Mexican National Pleads Guilty To Drug Trafficking

Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOACOBO JOSE SANTOS, age 43, a naturalized citizen of Mexico, pled guilty today to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five hundred grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine hydrochloride.

According to the court documents, SANTOS was arrested with co-conspirators on October 15, 2016, in possession of nearly five kilograms of cocaine in Covington, Louisiana meant for distribution in the Eastern District of Louisiana.

SANTOS faces a maximum of forty years imprisonment and a minimum of five years imprisonment, a maximum fine of $5,000,000, a term of supervised release of at least four years up to life, and a mandatory $100 special assessment. U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown set sentencing for November 30, 2017.

Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney James S. C. Baehr is in charge of the prosecution.