Honduran National Extradited to Eastern District of Texas Sentenced for Conspiracy to Import Cocaine into the United States

 Defendant Apprehended and Prosecuted as Part of “Operation Dragoneante,” a Multinational Anti-Drug Investigation

SHERMAN, Texas – A Honduran man was sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei today.

Oscar Ruiz Colon, 41, pleaded guilty on Feb. 4, 2021, to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine knowing it would be imported into the United States and was sentenced to168 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III.

“The great work of law enforcement in this case demonstrates that criminals cannot avoid federal prosecution by conducting their activities abroad,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.  “We will continue to aggressively fight the scourge of drug trafficking at the source, no matter how far away or well-concealed the offenders might be.”

“Criminals who attempt to broker and facilitate cocaine shipments into the United States will meet swift justice through DEA’s tireless efforts to dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations across the world,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez. “We applaud our South American counterparts to remain committed to the rule of law and the DEA will continue to work together to ensure consequences come to those who profit from illicit drugs in our neighborhoods.”

According to information presented in court, beginning sometime in 2017, Colon, a resident and national of Honduras, was a member of a drug trafficking organization responsible for multi-ton cocaine shipments which originated from Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Mexico for further distribution to the United States.  Airplanes, go-fast boats, semi-tractor trailer trucks, and passenger vehicles were used to transport most of the cocaine shipments.  A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Colon with federal drug trafficking violations on August 8, 2018.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Bloss.