News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 4, 2006

Four Drug Traffickers Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Import and Distribute Marijuana

April 4, 2006: Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jesus Torres, Special Agent in Charge, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Rear Admiral D. Brian Peterman, Commander - 7th Coast Guard District, United States Coast Guard (USCG), announced that Victoria Marie Childs, Gerald Jay Listokin and Le Vaugn Richardson pled guilty April 4, 2006 to 1 count of conspiracy to import marijuana into the United States, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 963 and 952(a) and to 1 count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a) and 846. Co-defendant, Gail Zucker pled guilty to the same counts on March 30, 2006.

According to evidence, the USCG stopped the sailing vessel "Unity" 20 miles off the coast of Key West, Florida, with two persons on board - Childs and Listokin. Aboard the Unity, USCG officers found six large duffel bags containing 727 pounds of marijuana. Richardson traveled to Key West to retrieve the marijuana, in order to deliver the drugs to Zucker at her North Miami Beach, Florida home.

Each defendant faces a minimum mandatory term of 5 years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 40 years imprisonment, plus a fine of $2,000,000 on each count.

Mr. Acosta commended the investigative efforts of the DEA, ICE and USCG.