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ST. THOMAS — U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith announced Monday that a 34-year-old Puerto Rico native has been sentenced to two years and 67 days in prison on cocaine possession charges.
According to a statement from Smith, a District Court judge also placed Julio Soto Robles on four years of supervised release, following his sentence completion, in connection with possession with intent to distribute 735 grams of cocaine.
Robles pleaded guilty on Aug. 24, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, Smith said in her statement.
According to court records, on Aug. 18, 2020, Soto Robles and a co-traveler, Gregory Vega, arrived at the King Airport from Puerto Rico with no luggage. During a primary inspection by Customs and Border Protection, Soto Robles was found to be in possession of about $11,000 in U.S. currency.
“Soto Robles told CBP officers that the money was to pay for the surgery of a relative named Rafaela. Soto Robles further stated that he never met this relative and only knew her as ‘Tia Abuela,’” the release sated.
On Aug. 20, 2020, however, Soto Robles and his co-traveler “returned to King airport and attempted to board a flight to Puerto Rico. During secondary inspection, CBP officers searched a suitcase that the two men were carrying and discovered three separate bundles of cocaine.”
The case was investigated by Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Payne, according to Smith.
