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Suspect in record cocaine seizure pleads guilty
By MURRAY EVANS
Associated Press Writer
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- A man charged in what state police say is the largest cocaine seizure in the state's history has pleaded guilty in federal court.
Jaime Delacruz Bustamante was arrested for possession and transportation of more than 800 pounds of cocaine on May 1 and indicted by a federal grand jury five days later. Bustamante will be sentenced Aug. 16 in U.S. District
Court in Frankfort, U.S. Attorney Greg Van Tatenhove said.
Van Tatenhove said Bustamante's sentence likely will be between 13 and 15 years in prison. Bustamante is subject to a sentence of 10 yea
rs
r more and could have to pay up to a $4 million fine.
State police arrested Bustamante after a traffic stop near New Castle in Henry County on Interstate 71.
Another passenger in the vehicle, Renae Ness, will not be charged and has been released from custody, Van Tatenhove said. Ness and Bustamante both are from North Dakota.
Lt. Gov. Stephen Pence, who is also Kentucky's justice secretary, said the cocaine seized has a street value of about $35 million. Kentucky State Police Major Mike Sapp said the previous largest cocaine seizure in state history was about 100 pounds.
Trooper Tim Vinal initially stopped the motor home Bustamante and Ness were traveling in for "a routine traffic offense," but he wouldn't say what the offense was.
Vinal deflected praise during a press conference Friday about the bust.
"I was just doing my job," he said.
Besides the cocaine, officials seized $1,300 in cash.
Copyright
2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/K...EMPLATE=DEFAULT
Suspect in record cocaine seizure pleads guilty
By MURRAY EVANS
Associated Press Writer
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- A man charged in what state police say is the largest cocaine seizure in the state's history has pleaded guilty in federal court.
Jaime Delacruz Bustamante was arrested for possession and transportation of more than 800 pounds of cocaine on May 1 and indicted by a federal grand jury five days later. Bustamante will be sentenced Aug. 16 in U.S. District
Court in Frankfort, U.S. Attorney Greg Van Tatenhove said.
Van Tatenhove said Bustamante's sentence likely will be between 13 and 15 years in prison. Bustamante is subject to a sentence of 10 yea
rs
r more and could have to pay up to a $4 million fine.
State police arrested Bustamante after a traffic stop near New Castle in Henry County on Interstate 71.
Another passenger in the vehicle, Renae Ness, will not be charged and has been released from custody, Van Tatenhove said. Ness and Bustamante both are from North Dakota.
Lt. Gov. Stephen Pence, who is also Kentucky's justice secretary, said the cocaine seized has a street value of about $35 million. Kentucky State Police Major Mike Sapp said the previous largest cocaine seizure in state history was about 100 pounds.
Trooper Tim Vinal initially stopped the motor home Bustamante and Ness were traveling in for "a routine traffic offense," but he wouldn't say what the offense was.
Vinal deflected praise during a press conference Friday about the bust.
"I was just doing my job," he said.
Besides the cocaine, officials seized $1,300 in cash.
Copyright
2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved.