San Onofre
A decorated Army veteran convicted of possessing 477 pounds of cocaine was sentenced Monday to 15 years in federal prison.
U.S. District Judge Howard Turrentine sentenced Jose Leon-Figueroa, 40, of Lennox, Calif., who was arrested Aug. 7 at the Border Patrol checkpoint near San Onofre.
Assistant U.S. Atty. Elizabeth Hartwig asked the judge to sentence Leon to the 20-year maximum, while defense attorney Charles McCutcheon suggested that a term of 7 to 10 years was more appropriate.
The seizure was the largest ever made at that time at the Border Patrol station. It was estimated that the cocaine was worth $20 million. The drug was found inside four suitcases, which were covered by a tarp and a blanket.
A jury convicted Leon of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute after deliberating for 20 minutes on Nov. 13.
A co-defendant who was riding in the same truck, Lucia Canales-Aparicio, 21, also from Lennox, pleaded guilty to making false statements to a federal agent and was sentenced to 130 days in prison and given three years’ probation.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
