NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Four men were arrested on Thursday after law enforcement officials seized about 119 pounds of cocaine and 100 bundles of cash.
49-year old Marvin O’Neal Carter, Sr., 49-year old Daniel Rodriguez, 50-year-old Hilario Rodriguez, and 42-year-old Michael Kuna had criminal charges filed against them for their alleged involvement in a large-scale cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
The men were charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
Police records show they found much more than that, more than 72 kilograms of cocaine along with heroin and drug money.
The men made their initial appearances Friday at 4 p.m. at the federal courthouse in Norfolk. .
According to court papers agents saw a tractor trailer arrive at a garage leased by Carter on Thursday.
The trailer eventually off-loaded from it's dock and was placed beside the garage.
Agents saw Kuna, and Daniel and Hilario Rodriguez arrive and park in Carter’s garage parking lot.
The four men then allegedly unloaded cocaine from hidden compartments underneath the trailer.
Kuna was then seen loading two large duffel bags into a vehicle before leaving the area. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Kuna and found the two duffel bags.
Officials found wet currency within the bags.
As Kuna was being detained members of the DEA, FBI, and Newport News Police executed federal search warrants on the garage and trailer.
The search turned up the cocaine and cash in $5,000 and $10,000 stacks.
Authorities also recovered a firearm, in addition to $42,000 in cash form a safe.
All four men will be held in custody of the US Marshals, but in the Norfolk City Jail until their preliminary hearings which are scheduled for Wednesday, October 26th at 2:30.
Each defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a max sentence of life in prison, if convicted.
