In November 2023, Jaison Dávila Amador, a 57-year-old man from Bogotá, Colombia, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine for the purpose of unlawful importation. To help the scheme along, the conspirators bribed air traffic controllers and law enforcement officials to ensure the flights from Mexico could enter Colombian airspace without intrusion.

Flying Cocaine from Mexico to Colombia

According to court documents, Dávila took part in this cocaine trafficking conspiracy from at least 2017 to 2019. To facilitate their plan, the defendant and other conspirators maintained covert airstrips in Colombia. Flights from Mexico would land in Colombia on those undisturbed airstrips and retrieve copious amounts of cocaine that would then be distributed in the United States.

The charges involved at least two cocaine shipments by aircraft in 2017 – one with about 1,058 pounds of cocaine, which crashed in Central America, and another that was intercepted and forced down by the Colombian Air Force. Close to the airplane's wreckage and the covert airstrip, law enforcement found nearly 1,135 pounds of cocaine, which was supposed to be trafficked by aircraft by Dávila and his co-conspirators. If these shipments had been sold in the U.S., they would have been valued at about $30 million.

How an Experienced Criminal Attorney Can Help

A conspiracy to distribute cocaine for the purpose of unlawful importation charge can only be proven if the prosecution can show, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the defendant:

1.     Entered into an agreement with one or more persons to violate a federal drug law and

2.     Knew the purpose of the agreement and joined in it.

When you or someone you love is accused of conspiracy to distribute cocaine for the purpose of unlawful importation, there are certain defenses an experienced criminal attorney will try to prove, including that there was no agreement, that the defendant did not intend to join the agreement, or that the defendant tried to withdraw from the conspiracy.

Attorney Vitaly Sigal of Sigal Law Group understands how to strategically create a defense designed to get you the best possible outcome for your case. Call 818-325-0570 today or schedule a free consultation online.