Dominican Republic cocaine smuggler gets nearly 6 years in prison

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A Dominican Republic native who was part of a crew that smuggled at least 1,146 pounds of cocaine was sentenced to nearly six years in prison.

Rafael Martinez, 31, of Santo Domingo, was sentenced by Chief District Judge Robert A. Molloy to 70 months incarceration following his conviction on conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States charges, U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith said. According to court documents, on August 30, 2021, a United States Coast Guard Cutter

intercepted two go-fast vessels traveling in international waters off the coast of the Dominican Republic. Onboard the vessels were Martinez, Carlos De La Rosa, Elvis Manuel Rodriguez, and Alexis Sanchez-Garcia. As the Coast Guard Cutter approached the vessels, the occupants were observed throwing bales of cocaine into the ocean. From one vessel, the Coast Guard seized 444 kilograms of cocaine wrapped in white burlap sacks but attempts to recover the bales that were thrown overboard from the second vessel were unsuccessful.