Drug Felony Convictions Lands Illegal Aliens in Prison for Life
A U.S. District judge sentenced defendant Olivar Martinez-Blanco to life in prison without parole on December 9, 2008, on Federal drug felony charges stemming from his role in a massive cocaine distribution conspiracy. Martinez-Blanco is an illegal alien who had been deported twice from the United States and had racked up two separate drug felony convictions. He was convicted in mid-September of his third felony, for which the federal system allows no parole.
According to the prosecution’s case, Martinez-Blanco was working as a lookout for fellow-defendant Victor Giles-Morales when the Georgia State Patrol stopped Giles-Morales’ van. Martinez-Blanco fled the scene while patrollers discovered 15 kilos of narcotics in the van. After collecting nearly $1 million in cash, Martinez-Blanco fled to a safe house, where he was later discovered by drug enforcement agents, who also found illegal firearms, several more kilograms of cocaine, half a ton of marijuana, and a major stash of methamphetamines.
Observers of the trial suggest that the harsh sentence of life in prison without parole for this third felony offense was meant not only as a punitive measure but also as a warning to other illegal aliens who might consider running drugs or otherwise getting involved in the narcotics trade.
In cases like Martinez-Blanco’s, it’s easy for criminal defendants to end up out-matched by the legal firepower of the federal government. If you or a loved one has been charged with a federal crime, either for some narcotics-related offense or for any other crime that falls under federal jurisdiction, you need an expert federal criminal defense attorney in your corner to ensure your rights and give you the best options possible.