United States v. Soto

Witnesses originally charged as co-conspirators testified that Garcia sold cocaine in Chicago and received deliveries from Santana, who worked for Soto. Ramirez delivered cocaine to Garcia on Soto’s behalf. Garcia and Santana sold Soto’s cocaine to Detroit-based sellers, the Enriquez brothers, who resold it to Freeman. When another middleman, El Cartero, disappeared without paying for a 10-kilogram cocaine delivery to the Enriquez brothers, Soto told Garcia, who had brokered the deal, to find them. Garcia, Santana, Gudino, Ramirez, and Espinoza went to Detroit. Espinoza, Santana, and Ramirez confronted Enriquez and his cousin, forced them into a van at gunpoint and returned to Chicago. After an hour of questioning, the kidnapping participants left; Ramirez stood guard. Gudino, Garcia, Ramirez, Espinoza, Santana, and Enriquez returned to Detroit to lure Freeman by offering to sell three kilos of cocaine. Garcia took Freeman’s money, Santana, Ramirez, and Espinoza tied Freeman in the basement and left him. On the return to Chicago, officers stopped and searched the cars and found the cocaine, currency, and three handguns. The Seventh Circuit affirmed convictions for conspiracy to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute and to distribute, 21 U.S.C. 846, 841(a)(1) & 841(b)(1)(A)(ii)(II); conspiracy to kidnap, 18 U.S.C. 1201(a)(1)(c); possession of a firearm in furtherance of and during a drug trafficking crime, 18 U.S.C. 924(c); and possession of a firearm in furtherance of and during a crime of violence, 18 U.S.C. 924(c). View "United States v. Soto" on Justia Law