Trio in Drug Import Case Appeared in Jury Box US Redacted Asks Below 108 Months Gets 66

Trio in Drug Import Case Appeared in Jury Box US Redacted Asks Below 108 Months Gets 66 by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 25 – In a four defendant drug importation and firearms case, three were brought into court by US Marshals on August 7 and sat in the courtroom's jury box as their schedule was set.   U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Jeannette A. Vargas said she would give 90 days for electronic discovery, largely in Spanish, to be produced. She said that on November 5 she intends to set schedules for motions and for trial.    The first, named defendant was not present on August. He had come into the US first and had already been processed. His disposition sheet disclosed "Defendant extradited from Dominican Republic." Judge Vargas said any applications for release on bond should be made in the Magistrates Court. Jump cut 10 months forward to June 21, 2026 when the US Attorney's Office wrote in asking for another 30 day postponement of a June 22 status conference, saying "certain pretrial dispositions may be reached." Judge Vargas pushed it back to July 27 and excluded time under the Speedy Trial Act. On August 10, in the Magistrates Court, one of the co-defendants pled guilty, with a November 10 control date for sentencing. For an August 24 sentencing, counsel to co-defendant Aguilar Garcia wrote in asking for time served, on a guideline of 135 to 168 months. Probation recommends 24 months. On the lead named defendant, sentencing began on September 8. But it did not finish. Judge Jeannette A. Vargas asked for supplemental briefing before it continues (and presumably concludes) on September 23. The US Attorney's Office has written in and said while they think an enhancement applies, it was not in the plea agreement and so they will not rely on it on September 23. They are asking for a "substantial" sentence but below 108 months, with a full paragraph redacted. On September 25, he was sentenced to 66 months.   The case is USA v. Nunez, et al., 1:24-cr-498 (Vargas) *** Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron. Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com Mail: Box 130222, Chinatown Station, NY NY 10013 Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.  Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com