Gulfport, Miss. - A Florida man pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to court records, On Oct. 11, 2022, a DEA Task Force Officer (TFO) conducted a traffic stop on a Chevrolet Silverado on Interstate 10 in Gulfport, Mississippi. The driver of the vehicle and sole occupant was identified as Vicente Valerio. A search of the vehicle revealed three bags containing 40 kilograms of cocaine.
Valerio will be sentenced on June 27, 2023, and faces a sentence of 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys