San Diego
Three men arrested Wednesday by Drug Enforcement Administration agents for possession of 1 3/4 tons of cocaine pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of intent to sell the drug, authorities said.
The DEA says the haul is largest seizure of cocaine in San Diego County, exclusive of those made at the border.
Assistant U.S. Atty. Patrick O’Toole said Luis Olmos, 34, of National City and Rigoberto Rodriguez, 39, and Jose Ricardo Mesa-Acre, 30, both of Tijuana, were arraigned before Federal Magistrate Barry Moskowitz.
They were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine in excess of 5 kilograms and possession with intent to distribute cocaine in excess of 5 kilograms.
Agents who made the arrests seized the cocaine from two vans, one in National City, the other in Imperial Beach.
If convicted, the three could receive a sentence ranging from 10 years to life in prison with no possibility of parole. They could also be fined $4 million, O’Toole said.
No bail has been set. The men are being held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center.
O’Toole said he is requesting that the three be kept in jail until the trial. A detention hearing has been set for Wednesday. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for July 11.
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