Colombian Arms Trafficker Gets 13 Years Prison sentence

Cartagena, Colombia, site where defendant was arrested

According to the US Attorney, "Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JHON JAIRO CRUZ TREJOS, a/k/a “Mellizo,” a citizen of Colombia, was sentenced today to 13 years in prison for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and a related weapons offense.  CRUZ TREJOS’s conviction on these charges resulted from his efforts to broker weapons deals on behalf of Colombian paramilitary groups, including exchanging cocaine for surface-to-air missiles and machine guns, and attempting to obtain highly enriched uranium to be used in an attack on a United States Embassy.  CRUZ TREJOS pled guilty to cocaine importation and weapons charges in November 2015 before U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald, who imposed today’s sentence."

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said:  “Jhon Jairo Cruz Trejos conspired to broker multimillion-dollar cocaine deals on behalf of Colombian terrorist organizations.  Cruz Trejos negotiated those deals to fund the purchase of machine guns and surface-to-air missiles, and he tried to obtain uranium for a ‘dirty bomb’ to be used against a U.S. embassy.  For his serious crimes, Cruz Trejos has been sentenced to 13 years in prison.” See story here...https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/colombian-arms-trafficker-sentenced-13-years-prison

I think the Judge gave him a big break. I know someone who was with me at MCC three years ago, Oded Orbach, who got a 25 year sentence from the same Judge who blew trial. I had the same Judge who gave me a five year sentence so  I am thankful to God for being home now. 

According to the dailymail.com, "Before the sentence was announced, Cruz Trejos said he wasn't anti-American and talk of weaponry was bluster. I would like to express to you how deeply sorry I am for having agreed to participate," Cruz Trejos said. "Your honor, my conduct was wrong." In my opinion, because he took a plea and was contrite and remorseful the Judge gave him a big break. See story here...http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-3523488/Man-gets-13-years-prison-drugs-NY-dirty-bomb-case.html

Since he is incarcerated since 2014, he will have to do about another 8 - 9 years. The Judge really gave him a second chance at life.

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