Mikhail Munoz, 32, originally of St. Croix, was sentenced Thursday for possession with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez sentenced Munoz to 51 months’ imprisonment, followed by a five-year term of supervised release, during which he must complete 300 hours of community service.
According to court documents, on May 20, Munoz checked himself and a suitcase in for a flight bound from St. Thomas to Miami. When Munoz’s checked luggage passed through inspection with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), it set off an alarm, leading to the discovery of 18 “brick like” items, each of which was wrapped in aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and vacuum-sealed. Each of the brick-like bundles contained a white powdery substance that field-tested positive for cocaine. Collectively, the bricks weighed approximately 19 kilograms.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the TSA, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith J. Edwards.
