6 SAILORS GUILTY IN FEDERAL DRUG CASE

TAMPA - A U.S District Court jury convicts the seamen for trafficking $60
million in drugs in the eastern Pacific last spring.

It was the trial that lifted the veil of secrecy from what had been a
mysterious and far-reaching probe into cocaine smuggling into the United
States.

Thursday, a jury took less than three hours to convict six Colombian
sailors of smuggling cocaine worth $60 million bound for the United States.

It was a big victory for the U.S. attorney's office, which lost two similar
cases in jury trials last year because of lack of evidence. The trial also
showed the widespread nature of their investigation and their commitment to
seize even more cocaine.

"This is your opportunity. You want to stop the influx of drugs? ... You
have the tourniquet in your hands," Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Ruddy told
the jury in his closing argument. "Convict these men."

The six crewman were some of the nearly 60 people arrested by the
government aboard vessels allegedly filled with cocaine in the eastern
Pacific in the last year.

The Coast Guard and Navy seized their trawler, the Layneyd, 200 miles off
the coast of Ecuador in April. It was carrying 3.3 tons of cocaine in two
hidden compartments.

The Layneyd was one of 10 boats filled with nearly 19 tons of cocaine
seized by the government. It appears to be part of a secret investigation
being run from Tampa.

In his closing argument, Ruddy hinted that the investigation is larger than
believed and said more drug boat seizures are coming.

"Ten seizures that they [defense lawyers] know about, and counting," he said.

Ruddy also downplayed the involvement of a former major leader in the
cartel - Jose Castrillon-Henao, in the boat seizures. Castrillon-Henao had
been in charge of all maritime transportation for the cartel, prosecutors say.

Defense lawyers tried to argue the alleged drug lord was setting up boat
seizures from jail and their clients were sacrificial lambs. They believe
Castrillon-Henao was doing this in hopes of reducing his possible life
prison sentence. He is indicted on drug charges here and awaits trial.

"Jose Castrillon is history ... he's long forgotten" by the cartel, Ruddy
said. "Him being able to call up the owners of cocaine from jail is a
fantasy. It's science fiction."

The trial focused on the testimony of two former employees of the Cali
cartel in Colombia. They gave a rare glimpse into the dangerous world of
cocaine smuggling. They talked about deceit, secrecy, tons of cocaine,
murder and violence.

Reynaldo Avenia-Soto, a former bookkeeper for the cartel, said that
fishermen begged to go out on drug runs. In one trip, fishermen can earn
enough to match their salary for a year of fishing, he said.

But some defense attorneys told the jury that their clients couldn't
possibly know the cocaine was aboard the trawler, since it was hidden. They
said the sailors thought they were being hired for a fishing expedition.

The jury apparently did not believe their argument. They convicted Segundo
Quinones, Santos Arroyo, Fernando Tenorio, Damian Urdin, Jorge Rosero
Ocampo and Cesar Dominguez of conspiracy and possession of cocaine aboard a
vessel with intent to distribute the drug.

They face possible life sentences, but will likely receive less time in prison.

"When you're involved in this business, you're paid a lot but you risk
lot," Ruddy said. "This is serious, serious business."