Evergreen Reporter

Two men involved in a major drug trafficking conspiracy have been sentenced to federal prison. Pedro Castro-Vasquez, also known as "Chipo," and Sonic Torres-Garcia were each sentenced to 180 months in prison after pleading guilty to charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall handed down the sentences, which include fines and supervised release following their prison terms.

Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, Tara M. Lyons, stated, "The conspiracy identified in this multi-year investigation was responsible for importing and distributing large quantities of drugs in the Southern District." The investigation, known as Operation Carpet Ride, uncovered a network operating across several counties since January 2016.

The operation was led by Daniel Morales-Jimenez, who imported large quantities of cocaine and other drugs from Puerto Rico into Florida and the Southern District. Morales-Jimenez has pled guilty and awaits sentencing.

Castro-Vasquez played a key role as a distributor who facilitated the importation of cocaine into the continental United States. Torres-Garcia supplied cocaine to another conspirator while arranging further distribution within the region.

Jae W. Chung from the DEA Atlanta Division emphasized their commitment to combating drug distribution: "This case represents the continued commitment of the Drug Enforcement Administration to identify and hold accountable those who engage in the distribution of dangerous drugs."

Steven Hodges from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service highlighted their strategy against illicit drugs: "Protecting the American public through criminal investigations like this is a top priority."

The investigation involved multiple agencies under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative, aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations threatening national security.