by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 21 – A self-described taxi driver has been on trial for five kilos of narcotics.
On July 18, a Drug Enforcement Agency agent testified before the jury and U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein. Inner City Press was there.
The agent described questioning the defendant Victor Molina Rodriguez after the transfer of narcotics between him and Diogenes and Stalym Plaza - who said he was on his way to cut hair in Manhattan.
Molina Rodriguez said he had met the two while giving them a ride in his cab. But the agent said seized phones told another story.
On July 19, Stalym Plaza was on the witness stand, in MDC jail being and a US Marshall beside him. He listened to his own WhatsApps and described his and Victor's drug deals. A gun he had, he said he found, and told the government about. He admitted to using false papers to find work at Uber Eats, DoorDash and Lyft.
The verdit? Guilty: "Jury found defendant guilty on count 1; Defendant shall surrender to Marshal service on 7/24/23 by 12pm. Order setting sentencing date shall be filed on 7/21/23
The case is US v. Molina Rodriguez, 22-cr-632 (Hellerstein)
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