Crime

69-Year-Old Costa Rican Pleads Guilty to Marijuana Transport Conspiracy

ST. CROIX — A Costa Rican man has pleaded guilty to charges related to the transportation of approximately 4,000 pounds of marijuana aboard a vessel under U.S. jurisdiction, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced recently. Luis Antonio Orellana-Orellano, 69, appeared in front of U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Emile A. Henderson III in St. Croix, on June 13, where he entered his plea. Orellana-Orellano's sentencing is slated for October 21, 2023, with the potential punishment of up to 20 years of imprisonment. The exact sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge, who will weigh the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory considerations in their decision. The case originated from a U.S. Coast Guard patrol operation on November 7, 2022, in the Eastern Pacific international waters, 65 nautical miles south of Boca Chica, Panama. The USCGC Campbell spotted a go-fast vessel during the operation. A smaller, Over the Horizon (OTH) vessel was deployed and found...