Illegal Alien Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Armed Drug Trafficking and Unlawful Re-Entry

MIAMI - On Oct. 24, a federal judge sentenced a Mexican national to 120 months in prison for armed drug trafficking and illegal re-entry.

Mauricio Villalpando-Gaytan, 34, previously pled guilty to a five-count indictment, which charged him with possession with intent to distribute a detectable amount of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien, and illegal re-entry after removal.

According to the court record, Villalpando-Gaytan sold and attempted to sell cocaine to an undercover law enforcement officer on two separate occasions. Specifically, on Jan. 28, 2024, while attending a local rodeo in Okeechobee County, Fla., Villalpando-Gaytan sold $100 worth of cocaine to an undercover officer. On Jan. 29, 2024, Villalpando-Gaytan was armed with a pistol when he attempted to sell a kilogram of cocaine to the same undercover officer. At the time of his arrest, Villalpando-Gaytan, a Mexican national, had been previously removed from the United States and illegally re-entered the United States without consent.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Okeechobee County Sheriff, Noel E. Stephen announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore.

DEA Miami Field Division and Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Breezye Telfair prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Raemy Charest-Turken handled asset forfeiture.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-14008.

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