Honduras Extradites Narcotics Trafficker To Face Federal Drug Charges In Miami
MIAMI, FL. - Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, announce the extradition of Mario Ponce Rodriguez from Honduras. Ponce Rodriguez, a Guatemalan national, has been held in custody since his arrest by Honduran authorities in May 1, 2011. He was arraigned in federal court in Miami earlier today. A pre-trial detention hearing is scheduled for December 23, 2011 at 9:00 am.
Ponce Rodriguez is charged in a one-count superseding indictment with conspiring with others to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine knowing that it would be unlawfully imported into the United States. This charge carries a mandatory minimum ten-year sentence and a potential sentence of up to life in prison.
“Since international drug traffickers do not see borders, DEA must maintain strong partnerships with its law enforcement counterparts as we do in Colombia and Honduras in order to have successes such as this arrest.” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Mark Trouville.
“The indictment and extradition of Ponce Rodriguez is the result of a concerted effort to disrupt and dismantle the Central American supply lines used by Colombian drug organizations to import cocaine into the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer.
An indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
