CLEVELAND, Ohio — A man has been sentenced to federal prison for illegally entering the U.S. and trafficking kilogram quantities of cocaine in Northeast Ohio.
Jaime Ortega-Urquidi, 63, received 15 years and 6 months in prison after pleading guilty in November 2025 to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and illegal reentry following removal with a prior aggravated felony conviction.
Court documents state that on May 28, 2025, Lorain police conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Ortega-Urquidi was a passenger. A K9 alerted to the presence of drugs, and officers recovered approximately two kilograms of cocaine—nearly 4.5 pounds—along with more than $29,000 in cash.
Further investigation revealed Ortega-Urquidi was part of an organization that smuggled kilograms of cocaine across the U.S.-Mexico border. The operation transported drugs from Texas to Ohio, where Ortega-Urquidi distributed them to local dealers in Lorain.
At the time of his arrest, Ortega-Urquidi was illegally in the U.S., having previously been removed in October 2017 after a conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
The case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, Lorain Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol Sandusky Bay Station, and Elyria Police Department.
