SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTGS) — Two men involved in a large-scale cocaine trafficking operation have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in moving kilograms of cocaine into Georgia and Florida, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
The investigation, called Operation Carpet Ride, was a yearslong effort to dismantle a multi-state drug trafficking network that distributed large quantities of cocaine. The operation stretched into multiple states and involved an extensive network of individuals smuggling drugs into the U.S. from Puerto Rico.
Pedro Castro-Vasquez, 53, also known as “Chipo”, from Puerto Rico, and Sonic Torres-Garcia, 27, from Kissimmee, Florida, were both sentenced after admitting to conspiracy charges for possessing cocaine with intent to distribute.
Castro-Vasquez received a 15-year sentence, a $1,500 fine, and three years of supervised release.
Torres-Garcia was also sentenced to 15 years in prison, which will run consecutive to other pending cases, along with a $2,500 fine and three years of supervised release.
Both men were crucial players in the operation, with Castro-Vasquez serving as a major distributor of cocaine, importing kilograms of the drug into the U.S. Torres-Garcia was responsible for supplying large quantities of cocaine to Demarr Clayton Lee, 55, of Miami, who was sentenced to over eight years in prison after pleading guilty.
The drug trafficking organization was led by Daniel Morales-Jimenez, 48, also known as “Danny Hill”, from Puerto Rico, who has pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges and is awaiting sentencing.
In total, 26 other defendants have pleaded guilty as part of the investigation and are serving sentences of up to 20 years. The conviction of these individuals highlights the government’s continued efforts to break up large drug trafficking operations and hold those responsible accountable.
