News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2007

The Last of Six Defendants Is Sentenced In a
Two-Kilogram Cocaine Conspiracy

MAR 7 -- A federal judge has sentenced Domingo Gonzales, 22, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, to 121 months in prison for his role in a two-kilogram cocaine trafficking conspiracy. Gonzales is the last of six defendants to be sentenced in the conspiracy. Drug Enforcement Administration agents arrested all six at a house in Providence in December 2005, and seized two kilograms of cocaine that had just been driven to Providence from Lawrence.

June W. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England and United States Attorney Robert Clark Corrente announced the sentence, which Senior U.S. District Court Judge Ernest C. Torres imposed yesterday in U.S. District Court, Providence.

In July, Judge Torres sentenced Alejandro Pujols, 36, to 216 months in prison, and Waskar Pena, 31, of Providence, to 151 months. Judge Torres also fined Pena $50,000. Also sentenced by Judge Torres: Eduardo Garcia, 36, of Providence – 96 months; Christopher Garcia, 35, of Methuen, Massachusetts – 78 months; and Cornelio Ozorio, 25, of Providence – 37 months.

Pujols, Pena, Ozorio, Eduardo Garcia, and Christopher Garcia all pleaded guilty to participating in the cocaine conspiracy. Last April, a jury found Gonzales guilty of two charges related to the conspiracy.

During Gonzales’ trial, Assistant U.S. Attorney Adi Goldstein presented evidence that, in December 2005, DEA agents monitored conversations in which Pujols used coded language to discuss selling kilogram weights of cocaine to Pena. Pena also discussed the transaction with Ozorio. The men referred to cocaine as “confetti” and kilograms of cocaine as “girls.”

On December 11, 2005, agents observed Pujols and Pena, in Pena’s minivan, rendezvous with Gonzales and Christopher Garcia, who were waiting in a car on Elmwood Avenue. The four men went in both vehicles to Pena’s house on Gallatin Street, where Eduardo Garcia was waiting. Ozorio subsequently arrived and went into the house.

When Ozorio was leaving, agents detained him and, during a pat-down search, a kilogram package of cocaine fell from under Ozorio’s coat. In the basement of the house, agents seized another kilogram package of cocaine, which had been cut open for testing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Goldstein noted that a heat sealer next to the cocaine was on, suggesting that the agents had interrupted the cocaine deal as it was happening.

Agents arrested all six defendants; they found Gonzales hiding under a pile of rubbish in the basement. Judge Torres increased the sentence imposed on Gonzales yesterday because he determined that Gonzales had obstructed justice by testifying falsely at his trial.

The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.