'Don Diego', boss of the Norte del Valle cartel that smuggled some $10 billion worth of cocaine into the U.S., pleaded guilty Tuesday to drug charges that will send him to prison for at least 10 years.
Diego 'Don Diego' Montoya Sanchez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import cocaine, racketeering conspiracy and obstruction of justice. The charges carry a minimum 10 year sentence, but prosecutors will recommend he spend 45 years in prison.
As part of a plea deal, prosecutors consolidated indictments in Miami and Washington, and dropped several charges.
As the reputed head of Colombia's North Valley cocaine cartel, Montoya was responsible for exporting some 1.2 million pounds of cocaine over the past decade. At one point he was on the FBI's most wanted list, and Colombian authorities blame him for some 1,500 drug-related killings.
Montoya, 48, appeared in court wearing ankle shackles and a prison-issued beige shirt and brown pants. He listened to Spanish interpretations of the proceedings on a headset and made a brief statement.
He thanked the judge for allowing him to start a "new chapter" in his life, apologized to his family and other families he had hurt as well as the governments of the United States and Colombia.
"Thank you and may God accompany my steps, so that I can make amends," he said.
Authorities estimate that at its height the cartel controlled about 60 percent of Colombia's cocaine trade. Beginning in the early 1990s the cartel took over the trade following the demise of the earlier Cali and Medellin cartels.
Montoya was captured in Colombia in September 2007 after an intense manhunt and extradited to the U.S. in December 2008. An extradition treaty between Columbia and the U.S., however, prohibits Montoya from being sentenced to life in prison.
U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga scheduled sentencing for Oct. 21.
Montoya's
two brothers have previously pleaded guilty to U.S. drug charges.
Eugenio Montoya, who handled the cartel's finances and money-laundering
work, is serving 30 years. Juan Carlos Montoya was sentenced to 22
years. (AP)
lampltr
said:
 |
... Perhaps the family can now get their act together, however times still very difficult in the rural regions for all with little to no assistance for the locals. Will the regions come out of this slump or will times see more difficulty and the elimination of the middle class? Will crime take on a new meaning? Lets hope not |
