Crime

Ecuadorian and 3 Others Face Mandatory 10-Year Sentence and Deportation After Feds Foil 2,861 Pound Cocaine Scheme

ST. CROIX — United States Attorney Delia L. Smith has announced that Eliecer Pineda Torres, 52, of Ecuador, pleaded guilty on Dec. 14 before Magistrate Judge Emile Henderson, III, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine while on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Sentencing for Torres has been scheduled for April 14, 2023. According to court documents, on November 15, 2021, while on routine patrol in the eastern Pacific Ocean, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter HAMILTON spotted a 52’ low-profile vessel approximately 77 nautical miles north of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. The unnamed vessel, outfitted with three outboard engines, had no flag flown or registration number. Onboard the vessel were individuals later identified as Luis Rodriguez, Eliecer Pineda Torres, Carlos Benitez Estupinan and Anthony Cuero Garcia. Neither individual claimed to be master nor nationality of the vessel thereby making the vessel subject to the ...