Undocumented man sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking, illegal re-entry

MIAMI, Fla. (CBS12) — An undocumented Mexican man was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison for armed drug trafficking and illegal reentry, according to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ).

According to the DOJ, Mauricio Villalpando-Gaytan pleaded guilty to a five-count indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute a detectable amount of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of an admixture of cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, possession of a firearm and ammunition by an undocumented migrant, and illegal reentry after removal.

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The DOJ says Villalpando-Gaytan, 34, sold and attempted to sell cocaine to undercover law enforcement on two separate occasions.

The DOJ said the first occasion occurred on Jan. 28 while he was attending a local rodeo in Okeechobee County. Villalpando-Gaytan was able to sell $100 worth of cocaine to an undercover officer. The second time occurred on Jan. 29, the DOJ says Villalpando-Gaytan was armed with a gun and attempted to sell a kilogram of cocaine to the same undercover officer.

At the time of Villalpando’s arrest, the DOJ learned that he had been removed from the United States and had illegally re-entered the US without consent.

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