By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell Book
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Jan 19 - In the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on January 19, a sentencing was held by District Judge Denise L. Cote on a man involved in a cocaine importation conspiracy involving Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and the United States. Inner City Press was there.
The defendant Jheyson Montano-Fernanez was asked to speak for himself, just prior to sentence being imposed. He spoke at length, about how he was drawn in, about how little he knew; he said he had learned his lesson and asked for mercy.
His lawyer, up from Coral Gables, reminded him not to say the name of the informant.
Other defendants came in to Judge Cote's courtroom. Some expressed surprise at the length of the defendant's statement and wondered if it helped or the opposite.
Judge Cote imposed a sentence of 144 months, to be followed by deportation.
The defense lawyer asked for designation in the New York or Pennsylvania area.
Judge Cote asked, Does he have relatives here?
No, was the answer.
So I decline the make the recommendation, Judge Cote said. The next case, about a defendant repeatedly ousted from in-patient drug treatment, began.
The sentencing case is US v. Montano-Fernanez, 19-cr-91 (Cote)
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