A 3rd drug-trafficking convict gets a “light” sentence in U.S

Santo Domingo.- A Puerto Rico court last week sentenced drug-trafficking convict Ernesto Bienvenido Guevara Díaz (Maconi) to six years and six months in prison, after pleading guilty of possessing more than a100kilos of cocaine in 2002, but reduced to one year for good behavior.

Guevara- the latest drug-trafficking convict to get a “light” sentence in the United States- was extradited to that country in the case against former Army Capt. Quirino Paulino.

According to Justice minister Francisco Dominguez, Paulino himself and Ramon A. del Rosario Puente (Toño Leña) have obtained in the U.S. “light sentences in relation to their crime.”

His lawyer Virgilio León Infante on Tuesday said the case against his client stem from the more than 100 kilos of cocaine seized in 2002, but the U.S. South District Court dropped the charges in 2011, claiming that he had already been tried for the same accusation in Dominican Republic.

He said since he was sent to Puerto Rico for a pending case, for which he was sentenced Friday.

Leon said although Guevara plea-bargained with Puerto Rican authorities for the 78-months prison sentence, was reduced to 12 for his good behavior in prison., by what will only happen in jail five months. He said his client will be in Dominican Republic by September.

Wiretaps led to arrest

Guevara "professed loyalty" to Quirino Paulino just one day before the latter was caught with 1,387 kilos of cocaine as it was about to be shipped, according to prosecutors’ wiretaps.

Near midnight December 17, 2004, Paulino called Guevara (the called each other "cuñao" (brother-in-law) and instructed him to prepare the vehicle to transport the drug.