ORLANDO, Fla. — Four men from Central Florida were sentenced to federal prison on Tuesday for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute nearly 200 pounds of cocaine, the Department of Justice announced.
The men were identified as Israel Miranda, 36, from Kissimmee; Abiezer Laboy-Lozada, 36, from Orlando; Jorge Antonio Gonzalez de la Fuente, 31, from St. Cloud; and Carlos Antonio Garcia Garcia, 35, from Kissimmee. All four had previously pleaded guilty to the charges against them.
Miranda and Laboy-Lozada were each sentenced to 10 years in prison, while Gonzalez de la Fuente received a sentence of 7 years and 3 months. Garcia Garcia was sentenced to 5 years behind bars.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the drug distribution ring operated between 2022 and 2023, and Miranda was the central figure in the operation, distributing cocaine or drug proceeds totaling more than 89 kilograms (approximately 196 pounds).
In one key instance in May 2023, Laboy-Lozada received between 20 and 30 kilograms of cocaine from Miranda in a parking lot. In October 2023, Miranda delivered a kilogram of cocaine hidden in an orange Nike shoebox to Gonzalez de la Fuente, who then handed it over to Garcia Garcia. Authorities intercepted Garcia Garcia’s vehicle, where they discovered the shoebox containing the drugs.
In another significant bust, Miranda was involved in the delivery of drug proceeds. Law enforcement seized nearly $52,000 from Miranda in November and an additional $150,000 in March 2024. In total, more than $464,000 in drug money was seized from the conspiracy ring.
Gonzalez de la Fuente played a key role in the operation, meeting with other conspirators two to three times per month to distribute between 15 and 50 kilograms of cocaine. Despite being charged, he continued to distribute drugs, which ultimately led to his detention.
The investigation into the drug conspiracy was led by the DEA, and the defendants’ sentences mark a significant victory in the ongoing battle against drug trafficking in Central Florida.
