The United States Department of Justice reported on Wednesday, August 6 that Romeo Ramos Cruz, former mayor of Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa, Escuintla, He made his initial appearance before the United States District Court for the Columbia district after his extradition from Guatemala on this month.
According to the report, Ramos Cruz, 57, is accused of a conspiracy charge to import more than five kilograms of cocaine to the United States from Guatemala.
The Department of Justice added that, according to judicial documents, between 2022 and 2024, Ramos Cruz was a key member of a drug trafficker based in Guatemala, responsible for the transport of cocaine for the US market.
He added that, during this period, Ramos Cruz held a public office as mayor of Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa and “he is accused of taking advantage of his official position to facilitate the operations of the organization.”
“As part of the conspiracy, Ramos Cruz allegedly used its authority and access to coordinate logistics and transport of cocaine cargoes to the United States,” added the Department of Justice.
He said: “On one occasion, he agreed to help camouflage a cargo of cocaine from Venezuela to Guatemala as a cement shipment. He also prepared a letter with an official municipal letterhead so that the shipment would evade the inspection of the Guatemalan authorities.”
“If it is convicted, Ramos Cruz faces a maximum perpetual chain penalty,” said the Department of Justice.
The Interim Deputy Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti, of the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, and the special agent in charge Davis, of the Washington Field Office (WFO) of the FBI, made the announcement, according to the official information.
It was stressed that the FBI Research Operations Office (WFO) led research in the United States with the assistance of the Miami Division of the Drug Control Administration (DEA) and the National Security Research Field Office (HSI) of the Customs Immigration and Control Service (ICE) in New Orleans.
In addition, the Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice, in collaboration with the Guatemalan police authorities, Interpol and the FBI, provided crucial assistance to achieve the arrest and extradition of Ramos Cruz to the United States.
The case is in charge of litigating lawyers Kirk Handrich and Roger Polack, of the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs section of the Criminal Division.
This case is part of the operation we recover America, an initiative that mobilizes all the resources of the Department of Justice to repel illegal immigration, eliminate posters and transnational criminal organizations, and protect the communities of the authors of violent crimes.
“A formal accusation is simply an allegation. All accused are presumed innocent until their guilt is demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt before a court,” the institution added.
On June 18, the aforementioned former mayor of Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa (2020-2024) agreed to be extradited towards the USA, where justice requires it under drug trafficking charges, judicial sources reported.
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