20 September 2004 LAWFUEL – Best law news, legal, attorney, criminal law, legal researchMarcos Daniel Jiménez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Thomas W. Raffanello, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration; and Jesus Torres, Special Agent in Charge, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), announced today that defendant, Alex Decubas, entered guilty pleas in four (4) separate criminal cases charging him with cocaine trafficking related offenses dating back to 1984 and continuing through 2000. Decubas’ sentencing hearing is set for December 3, 2004, at 3:00 p.m., before United States District Court Judge Joan A. Lenard, in Miami, Florida. Decubas faces a maximum term of life imprisonment and a minimum mandatory term of twenty (20) years’ imprisonment. Decubas also faces a maximum fine of $4 million, plus a restitution payment.
The four (4) cases in which Decubas pleaded guilty and the charges to which he pleaded guilty were: United States v. Alex Decubas, et al., Case No. 90-007-CR-Lenard, in which Decubas pleaded guilty to knowingly and intentionally conspiring with others to import cocaine into the United States beginning in or about June of 1988 and continuing to on or about September 12, 1989, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 963; (2) United States v. Alex Decubas, et al., Case No. 91-8083-CR-Lenard(s), in which Decubas pleaded guilty to knowingly and intentionally engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise with at least five (5) other people in the importation of cocaine from in or about May of 1984 through on or about July 17, 1991, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 848; (3) United States v. Alex Decubas, et al., Case No. 91-542-CR-Lenard(s), in which Decubas pleaded guilty to knowingly and intentionally conspiring with others to launder $6,326,176 in drug proceeds in or about March of 1990 continuing through April 19, 1990, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371; and (4) United States v. Alex Decubas, et al., in Case No. 98-428-CR-LENARD, in which Decubas pleaded guilty to knowingly and intentionally conspiring with others to import cocaine into the United States beginning in or about September, 1997 continuing to on or about February 24, 2000, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 963.
Pursuant to a written proffer filed with the court, Decubas stipulated to facts relating to the four (4) cases. In regard to Case No. 90-007, Decubas stipulated that in the summer of 1987, he devised a scheme whereby a foreign registered coastal freighter, the M/V Nerma, would be purchased to facilitate the smuggling of multi-thousand kilogram quantities of cocaine into the United States. In June of 1988, the M/V Nerma transported 1,500 kilograms of cocaine to two(2) yachts and a go-fast boat off the Bahamas. These smaller boats then brought the cocaine into the United States.
On January 27, 1989, the M/V Nerma received an additional 4,000 kilograms of cocaine that was delivered off Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas to awaiting go-fast boats for importation into the United States. On June 16, 1989, the M/V Nerma retrieved 4,448 kilograms of cocaine that was delivered to go-fast boats in the early morning hours of June 20, 1989 for importation into the United States from the Bahamas. On September 10, 1989, the M/V Nerma delivered another 4,500 kilograms of cocaine off of More’s Island in the Bahamas. The boats used by Decubas and his crew for importation into the United States off-loaded large cocaine shipments into West Palm Beach, Loxahatchee, Boynton Beach, and Miami, Florida.
Decubas, in connection with Case No. 91-8083, stipulated that he and his crew imported approximately five hundred (500) kilograms of cocaine from the Bahamas to the South Florida area aboard the M/V Amy. Decubas admitted that multiple vehicles were loaded with cocaine at a residence located on Maul Lake in Miami, Florida, and that the five hundred (500) kilograms of cocaine were successfully distributed from that location. In December of 1987, Decubas instructed a member of his crew to live at Bay Colony in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for the purpose of establishing an offload/stash house.
During that month, Decubase offloaded approximately five hundred (500) kilograms of cocaine from the M/V Lassie that had been imported into the United States from the Bahamas. In June of 1988, the M/V Nerma was used to transport approximately 1,500 kilograms of cocaine. This cocaine was intercepted by Royal Bahamas Defense Forces and the Drug Enforcement Administration. On June 19, 1988, the Boca Raton Police Department intercepted and seized one (1) of the transport vessels, the M/V Lassie, with its load of over six hundred (600) kilograms of cocaine. On June 21, 1989, Decubas directed a sailboat to transport approximately six hundred (600) kilograms of cocaine to Miami Beach. Thereafter, an addition four hundred (400) kilograms of cocaine was moved into Miami, and a 30-foot concept vessel imported an additional six hundred (600) kilograms of cocaine.
Decubas, with regard to Case No. 91-542, stipulated that in April of 1990, he organized the importation of approximately six hundred twenty-five (625) kilograms of cocaine from the Bahamas aboard a Pacemaker go-fast boat. The cocaine was taken to stash houses in and around Miami-Dade County, and then distributed. On April 19, 1990, federal law enforcement officers seized approximately $6 million dollars from a residence used by Decubas. This money represented the proceeds of the sale of the cocaine.
In connection with Case No. 98-428, Decubas stipulated that he organized the importation of cocaine into the United States aboard the M/V Five Stars, a yacht with false compartments made to hold 2,000 kilograms of cocaine. Pursuant to a tip and prior to the importation, federal law enforcement personnel put a tracking device on the M/V Five Stars. On May 25, 1998, federal law enforcement personnel searched the vessel after it arrived in Fort Lauderdale from a trip to the Caribbean, and seized 2,000 kilograms of cocaine.
Mr. Jiménez commended the investigative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Boca Raton Police Department. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kirk Ogrosky and Paul Pelletier.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls
