The Carroll Standard

Extradited Guatemalan to Serve Over 13 Years for Cocaine Distribution Scheme

Chief U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Miguel Osvaldo Bolanos-Acevedo, a/k/a "El Cochero," age 48, a Guatemalan national, last week to 160 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Bolanos-Acevedo was extradited to the United States from Guatemala to face these charges.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Ava Cooper-Davis of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Special Agent in Charge William Winter of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Department of Police.

According to Bolanos-Acevedo's guilty plea, from at least February 2001 through February 2004, Bolanos-Acevedo was one of the leaders of a Guatemala-based drug smuggling organization responsible for the importation of kilogram quantities of cocaine and heroin from Guatemala to the United States. The drugs were hidden inside functioning car batteries. Each battery contained between three and five kilograms of cocaine or heroin. The narcotics were owned by Bolanos-Acevedo and transported by co-conspirators in the Maryland area. Bolanos-Acevedo employed multiple individuals to import, transport and deliver cocaine and heroin, as well as, collect and transport drug proceeds from the U.S. to Guatemala. Bolanos-Acevedo is responsible for the distribution of between fifty and one hundred fifty kilograms of cocaine during the time of the conspiracy.