Colombian Group Extradited to U.S.

Arizona Free Press
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WASHINGTON Fourteen alleged members of a former paramilitary and drug-trafficking group known as the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC), including high-ranking former leaders, have been extradited from Colombia to the United States to face drug trafficking charges. Defendants face charges in the District of Columbia, the Middle District of Florida, the Southern District of Florida, the Southern District of New York and the Southern District of Texas. Defendants will make their initial appearances in the districts in which they are first brought into the United States. Indicted defendants face charges including: conspiracy to import cocaine; conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine; possession, manufacture or distribution of cocaine; providing material support to a designated terrorist organization; and money laundering. As part of the extradition requests, the United States has provided assurances to the government of Colombia that it will not seek a life sentence for any of the defendants, but instead will ask for a prison term of years. "Fourteen leaders of one of the world's largest and most powerful drug-trafficking organizations arrived in handcuffs on U.S. soil on May 13. They range from kingpin to bloque commanders who all used the drug trade to finance their illegal activities and poison Americans with multi-tons of cocaine," said DEA Acting Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. According to the indictments, the former AUC members facing charges are: * Nodier Giraldo-Giraldo (District of Columbia); Charged in a superseding indictment returned on March 2, 2005, with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine with intent to import into the United States, aiding and abetting the conspiracy and a forfeiture allegation. * Hernan Giraldo-Serna (District of Columbia); Charged in a superseding indictment returned on March 2, 2005, with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine with intent to import into the United States, aiding and abetting the conspiracy and a forfeiture allegation. * Edwing Mauricio Gomez-Luna (District of Columbia); Charged in a superseding indictment returned on March 2, 2005, with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine with intent to import into the United States, aiding and abetting the conspiracy and a forfeiture allegation. *Eduardo Enrique Vengoechea-Mola (District of Columbia); Charged in a superseding indictment returned on March 2, 2005, with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine with intent to import into the United States, aiding and abetting the conspiracy and a forfeiture allegation. * Martin Peñaranda-Osario (District of Columbia); Charged in a superseding indictment returned on March 2, 2005, with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine with intent to import into the United States, distribution of cocaine with the intent to import into the United States, aiding and abetting that offense and a forfeiture allegation. * Rodrigo Tovar-Pupo, a/k/a "Jorge 40" (District of Columbia); Charged in a superseding indictment returned on March 2, 2005, with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine with intent to import into the United States, aiding and abetting the conspiracy and a forfeiture allegation. *Salvatore Mancuso-Gomez (District of Columbia); Charged in a superseding indictment returned on Sept. 17, 2002, and unsealed Sept. 24, 2002, with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine with intent to import into the United States, aiding and abetting that offense and a forfeiture allegation. *Juan Carlos Sierra-Ramirez (District of Columbia); Charged in an indictment returned on Sept. 17, 2002, and unsealed Sept. 24, 2002, with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine with intent to import into the United States, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine on board a vessel subject to U.S. jurisdiction, possession with intent to distribute cocaine on board a vessel subject to U.S. jurisdiction, aiding and abetting those offenses, and a forfeiture allegation. * Diego Fernando Murillo-Bejarano, a/k/a "Don Berna" (Southern District of New York); Charged in a superseding indictment filed July 12, 2004, and unsealed on July 22, 2004, with a dual object narcotics conspiracy: to import cocaine into the United States, and to distribute cocaine, knowing and intending that it would be imported into the United States. He is also charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. * Diego Alberto Ruiz-Arroyave (Southern District of Texas);Charged in a superseding indictment returned on Oct. 14, 2004, and unsealed on June 28, 2006, with conspiracy to provide material support and resources to the AUC. The defendant is also named in a forfeiture allegation. * Ramiro Vanoy-Murillo, (Southern District of Florida); Charged in a fourth superseding indictment filed on Nov. 18, 1999, with conspiracy to distribute cocaine; conspiracy to import of cocaine into the United States, and money laundering conspiracy. *Francisco Zuluaga-Lindo, (Southern District of Florida); Charged in a fourth superseding indictment filed on Nov. 18, 1999, with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to import of cocaine into the United States, and money laundering conspiracy. * Guillermo Perez-Alzate (Middle District of Florida); Charged in an indictment returned on Dec. 11, 2002, and unsealed on May 13, 2008, with conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine knowing that it would be imported into the United States, and a forfeiture allegation. * Manual Enrique Torregrosa-Castro (Middle District of Florida); Charged in an indictment filed May 3, 2007, with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, and two forfeiture allegations. An indictment is a formal charging document notifying the defendant of his charges. All persons charged in an indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty. On May 7, 2008, Carlos Mario Jimenez-Naranjo, a/k/a. Macaco, was extradited from Colombia to the United States to face drug trafficking charges in the District of Columbia and the Southern District of Florida. Before his arrest, Jimenez-Naranjo was allegedly one of the top leaders of the AUC.