Today Angel Zayas Chico, 34, of Puerto Rico, was convicted by a Charlotte County jury on charges of Conspiracy to Traffic in Cocaine (150 Kilograms or More) and Attempted Trafficking in Cocaine (150 Kilograms or More). The jury came back in just 28 minutes following the 3 day trial. Chico faces up to life in prison at his sentencing on January 18th.
In late April 2016, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized a shipping container in Port Miami that was being shipped from the Dominican Republic to a warehouse in Punta Gorda. When officers inspected the container they found 6 larger boxes concealed within. These boxes were lined with lead and contained 294 white paper boxes, each containing a brick of cocaine. The total weight of the cocaine was just under 650 pounds.
Officers replaced the actual cocaine with sham cocaine, a powder that looked like the drug. They also installed tracking devices inside the boxes to monitor the movement of the shipment as it traveled across the state to Punta Gorda. Law enforcement watched as Chico picked up the cocaine as it entered the city and then arrested the defendant.
Assistant State Attorney Scott Patterson handled the case.
Samantha Syoen
Communications Director
State Attorney’s Office
239-533-1125
ssyoen@sao20.org