Cocaine mailed to man leads to jail sentence

A 42-year-old man from Annapolis, Maryland, received a package in the mail from a friend in Guatemala. He was anticipating the package and his friend had told him not to open it, but that someone would be by to pick it up. The man would receive $500 for his troubles.

That $500, though, didn’t turn out to be worth the trouble the man found himself in. According to the Anne Arundel Assistant State’s Attorney, there was almost a kilo of cocaine in the package. Authorities believe that cocaine was worth over $80,000 on the streets.

The man who received the package, who is in the country illegally and is originally from Guatemala, recently entered an Alford plea to the charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. While that plea doesn’t mean he is admitting guilt, it does acknowledge that the prosecution can obtain a conviction on the evidence in the case. The judge in the case gave the man a year in jail.

The package was chosen for an examination as it entered the Port of Miami back in April by an officer with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Homeland Security notified the Metropolitan Area Drug Task Force and the Maryland State Police and sent the package to them. It was repackaged and delivered by an undercover trooper. A search warrant was obtained by authorities and the package was found in a closet.

Drug crimes can result in substantial prison sentences, depending on the details of the case. In this case, the man had no prior history and had come to the U.S. to work and send money back to his family.

Those who are facing charges for drug possession need a strong defense presented by a knowledgeable, experienced attorney. He or she can provide more information on your legal options.

Source: Capital Gazette, “Annapolis resident gets year in jail for accepting $80K cocaine delivery,” Tim Pratt, Oct. 20, 2015