News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 31, 2005

FLORIDA HEROIN TRAFFICKER SENTENCED TO 8 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON

Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England and Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAVIER ECHEVERRI, also known as "EL MONO," age 46, of 14730 S.W. 90th Terrace, Miami, Florida, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 97 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Underhill increased ECHEVERRI's sentence 20 months based upon his finding that ECHEVERRI obstructed justice by testifying falsely at a previous court proceeding.

On June 10, 2004, ECHEVERRI, pleaded guilty to an Indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. As revealed in court proceedings, this case arose out of an Organized Crime and Drug Trafficking Task Force investigation dubbed "Operation Goal Tender," which targeted two Colombian-based drug trafficking cells operating in Connecticut and New York. ECHEVERRI, who was born in Colombia and later became a U.S. citizen, brokered one kilogram of heroin to two individuals in New York, Gary Baez and Miguel Nunez, both of whom later delivered the heroin to a cooperating witness in Connecticut.

ECHEVERRI was later recorded over the telephone making attempts to collect the $58,000 payment for the heroin.

Baez and Nunez were previously sentenced to 39 and 35 months sentences, respectively.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.