Final Los Valles drug trafficking organization defendant sentenced for his role in distributing loads of cocaine into the United States

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A Honduran national was sentenced on Sept. 16 to four years in prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

According to court documents, Erlis Antonio Leon Castellanos was an important part of an international drug trafficking organization based in Honduras known as "Los Valles" (Valle DTO). The Valle DTO moved multi-metric-ton loads of cocaine from Honduras to Guatemala, before it was moved to Mexico and ultimately the United States. The Valle DTO used helicopters and commercial trucks to transport cocaine from Honduras to Guatemala, where the cocaine was transferred to co-conspirators associated with Mexican drug trafficking organizations that smuggled the cocaine into the United States for redistribution. Some members of the Valle DTO imported smaller quantities of cocaine from Honduras directly into the United States using human couriers, who would travel on commercial airlines.

Leon Castellanos owned property near the Honduras-Guatemala border. The Valle DTO sent cocaine loads to Leon Castellanos at his property, where Leon Castellanos stored them before he and other DTO members smuggled the cocaine into Guatemala on its way to the United States. Leon Castellanos began by accepting cocaine loads of approximately 15 to 20 kilograms and eventually accepting loads of hundreds of kilograms at a time. Leon Castellanos also delivered cocaine to another DTO member who was responsible for coordinating the northward travel of the drugs. Between 2011 and 2014, Leon Castellanos personally transported cocaine over the border. He is the final defendant of 15 indicted in the case to be captured and sentenced.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Siddhartha Patel, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Sacramento Field Office; 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. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Guatemala to secure the arrest and March extradition of Leon Castellanos.

The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Guatemala to secure the arrest and March extradition of Leon Castellanos.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin S. Starr 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 repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 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. 1:14-cr-135.