Narcotics trafficker sentenced to more than 33 years in prison

NEW YORK - A Dominican national was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, N.Y., to 33 years and seven months in federal prison for his role in a cocaine and heroin distribution conspiracy based in New York that was uncovered by agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Geovanni Lerebours-Marte, 41, of Inwood, N.Y., pleaded guilty in February 2009 to conspiracy to distribute and attempt to posses heroin and cocaine. In addition to the prison sentence, he will be subject to five years of supervised release and a fine of $20,000.

"The defendant in this case brought significant quantities of illicit drugs into our community and put the safety and well-being of the public at risk," said James T. Hayes, Jr., special agent in charge of ICE HSI in New York. "This case illustrates that there is a significant price to pay for those who engage in this type of dangerous criminal activity. HSI will continue to aggressively investigate those who ignore our nation's drug trafficking laws."

A pre-sentencing memo by the prosecutor submitted to the court details how Lerebours-Marte as the leader of his own narcotics operation, was in direct contact with his suppliers in Mexico. In supervising the illegal activity, he used his home as the base of the organization.

HSI agents seized more than 23 kilograms of cocaine and approximately two kilograms of heroin. In addition, during the course of subsequent related HSI investigations, agents have seized more than $1.1 million in proceeds linked to narcotics.

This case was prosecuted in the Eastern District of New York by Assistant U.S. Attorney Toni M. Mele. The Honorable U.S. District Court Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis handed down the sentence.