STATESBORO, Ga. – Two men who were convicted of supplying kilograms of cocaine into Georgia and Florida for a major drug trafficking conspiracy have been sentenced to federal prison, according to the US Department of Justice in the Southern District of Georgia.
Pedro Castro-Vasquez, aka “Chipo,” 53, of Puerto Rico, and Sonic Torres-Garcia, 27, of Kissimmee, Florida, were each sentenced after pleading guilty to multiple drug charges. U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall sentenced Castro-Vasquez to 15 years in prison and a fine of $1,500, followed by three years of supervised release, and sentenced Torres-Garcia to 15 years in prison, consecutive to other pending state and federal cases, and a fine of $2,500, followed by three years of supervised release.
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“The conspiracy identified in this multi-year investigation was responsible for importing and distributing large quantities of drugs in the Southern District,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tara Lyons. “Multiple law enforcement agencies persisted through this lengthy investigation in identifying the key players in this drug trafficking operation, holding them accountable for spreading misery in the Southern District.”
As described in the 49-count indictment unsealed in November 2022, “Operation Carpet Ride” identified a drug trafficking conspiracy operating in Bulloch, Burke, Candler, Effingham, Evans, Liberty, Richmond, and Tattnall counties in Georgia, and elsewhere, from as early as January 2016.
Led by Daniel Morales-Jimenez, aka “Danny Hill,” 48, of Puerto Rico, the conspiracy imported large quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and other drugs from and through Puerto Rico, into Florida and Georgia. Morales-Jimenez pled guilty to federal conspiracy charges in both the Southern District and in Puerto Rico and awaits sentencing.
Castro-Vasquez was identified as a kilo-quantity distributor who obtained cocaine from Morales-Jimenez, arranging importation into the continental United States for distribution in Georgia. Torres-Garcia supplied kilos of cocaine to Demarr Clayton Lee, 55, of Miami, while also arranging to deliver cocaine to the Southern District using members of his family. Lee, who pled guilty in the conspiracy, is serving a sentence of more than 8 years in federal prison, while 26 other defendants in Operation Carpet Ride are serving sentences of up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty.
“This case represents the continued commitment of the Drug Enforcement Administration to identify and hold accountable those who engage in the distribution of dangerous drugs,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.
