Co-Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization That Imported Over 100 Kilos Of Cocaine Sentenced To Ten Years in Prison

PROVIDENCE, RI - The co-leader of a years-long drug trafficking conspiracy that shipped over 100 kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Rhode Island has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

As reflected in court documents, Efrain Colon-Garcia, 43, and his wife, Yaniris Colon-Senquiz, 47, formerly of Woonsocket, co-led a conspiracy in which members of their extensive family received packages containing one or more kilograms of cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico. These family members utilized 19 different addresses in Rhode Island and received more than 60 packages.

At the outset, the Colons received less than one kilogram of cocaine per package, and the narcotics were hidden within items like clothing and toys. As the operation expanded, the parcels grew in size, with multiple kilograms of cocaine hidden inside larger items like Bluetooth speakers and wooden wine holders. In addition to having family members receive the packages, the Colons had family collect and transport drug proceeds to New York as part of the business. Family members were paid $1,000 per package to receive drug parcels at their own homes, and were paid between $2,000 and $5,000 per trip to drive and deliver tens of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds to New York.

At the time law enforcement interrupted the organization in 2020, the Colons were supplying cocaine to drug dealers in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Florida.

At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith sentenced Efrain Colon-Garcia to 10 years in federal prison to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. Yaniris Colon-Senquiz is awaiting sentencing. The defendants pleaded guilty on September 6, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and unlawful use of a communication facility (U.S. Mail).

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christine D. Lowell and Stacey A. Erickson.

The matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and members of the Rhode Island High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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