July 12, 2007  North Carolina/ Maryland
Trucker Alejandro Arango-Lopez convicted by a federal jury for having 23 kilograms of cocaine with intent to distribute

A federal jury today convicted Alejandero Arango-Lopez, aka Alejandero Jesus Arango (39 years old), of Los Angeles, California for conspiracy to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine, after a December 19, 2006 D.E.A. seizure of 23 kilograms of cocaine intended for delivery in Maryland, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.

According to evidence presented at the one week trial, a state trooper in North Carolina stopped the tractor trailer driver Arango-Lopez was driving for speeding on December 18, 2006. After a canine alert for narcotics, the trooper searched the vehicle and found 23 kilograms of cocaine. DEA agents learned that Arango-Lopez and a co-conspirator were being paid $10,000 each to deliver the 23 kilograms of cocaine, originally loaded into the vehicle in California, to a rest area at exit 35 off Interstate 95 in Howard County, Maryland.

Arango-Lopez faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, and a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years. The defendant remains detained. Chief U.S. District Judge Benson E. Legg has scheduled sentencing for Arango-Lopez on October 19, 2007 at 2:00 p.m.

Source: USDOJ