Honduran and Colombian drug traffickers sentenced to prison for conspiring to transport cocaine into the United States

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The last of three foreign nationals was sentenced to prison yesterday for his role in a conspiracy to traffic cocaine from Colombia through Honduras and ultimately into the United States.

According to court documents, Colombian national Humberto Cantillo Duran, aka Niño or Juan Carlos, 37; Honduran national Mario Rodolfo Mejia-Cubillas, aka Yofo, 54; and Honduran national Edgardo Rene Velasquez Navarro, aka Burro, 54, led a large drug trafficking conspiracy based in Colón, Honduras, responsible for the distribution of thousands of kilograms of cocaine valued at millions of dollars into the United States. The conspiracy operated from eastern Honduras where they received shipments of cocaine from South America before forwarding them through Central America and ultimately into the United States.

Cantillo Duran, based in Colombia and Honduras, was responsible for coordinating the shipment of large amounts of cocaine from Colombia to Honduras. Cantillo Duran also assisted in finding buyers, including Mejia-Cubillas and Velasquez Navarro. After the cocaine arrived in Honduras, it was unloaded, broken-down, and prepared for transport across Honduras, supervised by Mejia Cubillas, Velasquez Navarro, and Cantillo Duran. For years, Honduran law enforcement captured communications between the conspirators in which they discussed cocaine shipments, payments, acts of violence towards suspected rival narcotraffickers, South American sources of supply, the U.S. market for cocaine, and the United States being the ultimate destination for their cocaine. On several occasions, Honduran law enforcement seized large shipments of cocaine moved by the co-conspirators.

All three defendants pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine with the intent of unlawful importation into the United States.

On March 11, Velasquez Navarro was sentenced to 12 years in prison. On April 1, Mejia-Cubillas was sentenced to 13 years and four months in prison. Cantillo Duran was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin S. Starr, Anthony T. Aminoff, and Philip Alito prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs).

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-142.