Nicaraguan national sentenced on drug trafficking and weapons conspiracy charges

MIAMI — A Nicaraguan man was sentenced Thursday to 19 years and seven months in prison on drug trafficking conspiracy charges and 15 years in prison for his participation in a conspiracy to provide weapons to a designated terrorist organization. The sentences resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration and an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.

During the conspiracy, Franklin William McField-Bent, aka "Buda," 55, had numerous meetings and phone calls with undercover Colombian law enforcement officers who claimed to be members of a foreign terrorist organization. McField-Bent tried to help them obtain weapons, which he believed would be used in attacks on the Colombian government. In March 2010, McField-Bent arranged the sale of six grenade launchers, 20 grenades, an Uzi submachine gun and 100 rounds of ammunition to the undercover officers. He also admitted to participating in three shipments of cocaine originating in Central America, all while knowing they were destined for the United States. Each shipment consisted of hundreds of kilograms of the drug.

"The arrest, conviction and subsequent sentencing of McField-Bent is an important accomplishment for the U.S. government and its international partners due to the magnitude of his criminal violations and the threat to the homeland," said Alysa D. Erichs, special agent in charge of HSI Miami. "We will continue to work with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to identify and dismantle drug and weapons trafficking organizations."

Organized crime drug enforcement task forces identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, as well as those organizations responsible for the nation's illegal drug supply.