Trinidad and Tobago Resident Sentenced for Transporting Seven Kilograms of Cocaine

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that JUNIOR LEOPOLD, age 38, of Trinidad and Tobago, was sentenced yesterday for bringing seven kilograms of cocaine into the United States.

U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle sentenced LEOPOLD to 45 months incarceration and two years of supervised release.

On June 11, 2014, LEOPOLD pleaded guilty to one count of possession with the intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.  As part of the plea, LEOPOLD, who worked on a ship that was traveling from Trinidad and Tobago to the United States, admitted that he was being paid $5,000 per kilogram to bring the cocaine into the United States.

U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney David Haller is in charge of the prosecution.