INFAMOUS MIAMI DRUG SUSPECT GETS 205-YEAR SENTENCE

MIAMI - A reputed cocaine kingpin was sentenced to 205 years
in prison in a notorious Miami case where witnesses died suddenly, a
jury foreman became suspiciously wealthy and a prosecutor resigned
after an encounter with a stripper.

A federal judge gave Sal Magluta the maximum sentence on jury-rigging,
money laundering and conspiracy charges despite Magluta's apologies at
his sentencing hearing on Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Patricia Seitz also fined Magluta $63 million,
telling him "I am unable to estimate the pernicious effects your
choices have had on this community."

U.S. prosecutors pursued the Cuban-born Magluta, 48, and his partner,
Augusto Guillermo "Willie" Falcon, for more than a decade, accusing
them of importing $2 billion worth of cocaine into the United States
during the 1980s and 1990s as a main distributor for Colombian cartels.

In 1996, a federal jury stunned prosecutors by acquitting the pair
known as "Willie and Sal" on charges of trafficking in more than
220,000 pounds (100 pounds) of cocaine.

Upset at losing the case, then-U.S. Attorney Kendall Coffey drowned
his sorrows at a Miami strip club. A topless dancer there accused him
of biting her arm and Coffey resigned a few months later.

Shortly afterward jury foreman Miguel Moya, an aircraft mechanic, went
on a spending spree, buying a house, a speedboat, a Rolex watch and
other luxury goods.

Moya was charged with accepting a $500,000 bribe but his first trial
ended in a deadlocked jury after defense attorneys argued that his
wealth came from drug deals, not bribery. He was retried on the
bribery charge and convicted in 1999 and is serving a 17-year prison
sentence.

Magluta was tried again on new charges of paying off witnesses,
bribing jurors, paying his lawyers with drug money, and hiring hitmen
to kill former associates who were going to testify against him.

Convicted On 12 Counts

In August, the jury convicted him of 12 counts but acquitted him of
the most serious charges of ordering the murder of three witnesses.
Seitz made the sentences on the 12 counts consecutive so that Magluta
will spend life in prison. Seitz ordered that if he ever is released,
he must serve three years' probation.

Magluta apologized for his crimes, telling the court, "There's wrongs,
and plenty of them, that I have committed." He apologized to his
family, telling his parents: "You deserved much better for the way you
all raised me. I have failed you in every way possible, and for that I
am so sorry."

Prosecutors urged the maximum sentence, telling the judge that Magluta
had destroyed the lives of people who became addicted to cocaine,
perpetuated violence and tainted the justice system.

"For over two decades Mr. Magluta has poisoned our district with
cocaine he trafficked," U.S. Attorney Marcos Jimenez said. "Mr.
Magluta indeed bought himself an acquittal. In doing so, he caused
grave damage to our system of justice. Today's sentence will send the
unmistakable message that justice in our court cannot be bought."

Falcon is scheduled to go to trial next month.