New York man sentenced for conspiring to import 1.9 kilos of cocaine into US

NEWARK, N.J. – A New York man was sentenced Tuesday to 93 months in prison for his admitted role in a scheme to import of 1.9 kilos of cocaine from Panama into the United States via Newark Liberty International Airport. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Reginold Estrada, 35, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to conspiracy to import cocaine.

According to court documents, Estrada and others agreed to import cocaine by arranging for a courier to transport the drug into the country via commercial aircraft. Estrada provided funds to a courier to purchase airline tickets to fly from Newark to Panama. On March 27, 2011, the courier returned to Newark via commercial aircraft while transporting cocaine.

Estrada attempted to pick the courier up at the airport and was arrested there by HSI special agents.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Estrada to four years of supervised release.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall Cook of the U.S. Attorney's Office Narcotics/Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit in Newark prosecuted the case.