On Dec. 10, a Wisconsin man, 30, was sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison for his participation in a drug ring that trafficked cocaine and marijuana as far south as Texas. He was supposedly part of the Balderas Organization, a group accused of transporting a minimum of 10 pounds of cocaine and thousands of pounds of marijuana. He was in charge of the Wisconsin operation and involved in drug distribution and money laundering.

The man’s defense attorney indicated that he and his client were happy with the sentence, which was in line with the plea agreement in the case. The government indicated that the organization shipped drugs to Wisconsin because they could charge more in the northern state.

They used several methods to hide the drugs, including hiding them in a vehicle and driving with another car to their destination. They would usually transport less than 50 pounds of marijuana because authorities wouldn’t always file charges. They also used postal vehicles, buses and other methods of transportation. The man was responsible for recruiting the workers in the scheme, some of whom mailed packages with the drugs and distributed them across the state. The money laundering aspect of the organization involved a complicated banking plot that netted between $300,000 and $500,000 through a complicated banking plot. He ordered workers to transmit funds via wire transfer or to smuggle the cash.

Federal penalties for drug Offenses can be strict and include lengthy prison terms. In some cases, a criminal defense attorney might be able to negotiate an acceptable plea agreement with the courts for a reduced sentence.

Source: FOX 11, “Man sentenced for role in Texas-to-Wis. drug ring”, December 10, 2013