Press Release
ALIEN SMUGGLER SENTENCED TO 22 YEARS IN PRISON
August 25, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Anthony V. Mangione, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, Miami Field Division, announced that defendant Leon Brice Johnson was sentenced on Friday, August 22, 2008, to twenty-two years’ imprisonment. Johnson was sentenced for his participation in an alien smuggling conspiracy, which resulted in the deaths of three aliens, and a narcotics smuggling conspiracy that involved the transportation of 14 kilograms of cocaine, 2 kilograms of heroin and 83 pounds of marijuana, from the Bahamas to Jupiter Island, Florida.
According to the evidence presented at the sentencing hearing, Johnson and his co-defendant Rickey Thompson participated in two separate smuggling trips – one in August 2006 and a second in December 2006. During each trip, Thompson, the boat captain, and Johnson, the co-captain, transported a group of illegal aliens and narcotics, from Freeport, Bahamas, to Jupiter Island, aboard Thompson’s 33 foot speed boat. The aliens paid Thompson fees ranging from $1,500 to $4,000 for the trip and were assured that Thompson would drop them off on the beach or in water no higher than their knees.
During both trips, Thompson drove the boat without lights to avoid detection and made frequent stops whenever he believed he saw or heard a Coast Guard vessel. On each occasion, Thompson and Johnson ordered the aliens off the boat approximately 50 to 100 yards from the shore of Jupiter Island, in deep, rough waters. Each time, there were aliens aboard the boat who could not swim and who asked to remain on the boat. Ignoring the pleas, Thompson and Johnson forced the aliens off the boat at gun point. Two aliens drowned during the August trip and one during the December trip.
The defendants also transported large quantities of narcotics, including cocaine, heroin and marijuana during both trips.
Mr. Acosta commended the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Martin County Sheriff’s Office, Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, U.S. Border Patrol, Jupiter Island Police Department, and Tequesta Police Department for their investigation of this matter. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adrienne Rabinowitz, Lauren Jorgensen, and Ellen Cohen.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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