Daniel Barrera: "The last of the great capos" gets 35 years in N.Y. sentencing

Lucio R. Borderland Beat Material from archives, U.S. website and The Guardian

Barrera being extradited to the U.S.

Colombia describes Barrera “the last of the great capos”….

Dusk was falling in the evening of 2012 as the ordinary looking middle-aged man, parked his car opposite the towering white statue of an angel in the Andean mountain city of San Cristobal near Venezuela's border with Colombia.

Daniel Barrera walked the few feet to a bank of public payphones facing the church, picked up the handset and dialed a number. He had barely begun his conversation when, to the shock of shopkeepers and passers-by, dozens of armed police appeared - and the 20-year career of the last of the notorious Colombian drug barons was over.

Known simply as "el Loco" - "the crazy one" - for his for violent mood swings and ruthless dispatch of rivals, Barrera was captured by Venezuelan security officers without a fight last week as he telephoned a subordinate to issue instructions.

"He just shrugged and had the look of a resigned man who knew his time was up," a street vendor who witnessed the arrest told The Sunday Telegraph. "The National Guard pulled up on motorbikes and he surrendered without a struggle. It was over in no time."

The Venezuelan swoop was conducted after a months-long monitoring operation in coordination with Colombia,  Britain's MI6 and American intelligence,  an indication of the depth of concerns about Barrera's kingpin status trafficking cocaine to the US and Europe.

He has been described as the trafficker “most like Pablo Escobar”, and one who had elected to change his appearance through plastic surgery, and altering his fingerprints by using acid.

The Colombian, 48, eventually pleaded guilty  to charges by the United States, and on Monday a Manhattan judge, Gregory Woods, described Barrera’s crimes “staggering”, sentenced Barrera to 35 years in prison.

Judge Woods rejected Barrera’s defense plea for leniency. The leniency please was centered on the guilty plea, offer of cooperation.

The sentence also included a 10 million dollar forfeiture in addition to a 10M dollar fine.

U.S. prosecutors contend that Barrera had shipped, tons of cocaine to the United States,  in a massive drug trafficking operation.  The operation trafficked drugs to four continents using narco subs to transport the product.

Barrera admitted to the distribution of 400 tons per month during the years of 1998 to 2011.  He was captured in Venezuela in 2012 and extradited to the U.S. in 2013, where he changed his not guilty plea to guilty in 2014.

His attorneys asked for consideration of a lesser sentence, stating his clients offer to provide information with information had been rejected.  The information included directing the U.S. to a bomb maker and top member of FARC. He was a key associate of FARC.

The offer was rejected.

48 of Barrera's vehicles seized at one of his properties

The U.S. refuted that there was a rejection of such important information, stating they were able to develop the information independent of Barrera’s cooperation.

Barrera spoke at the sentencing hearing stating it is his hope that one day he will be able to see his grandchildren.

Prior to sentencing, Barrera told the judge he hoped to someday again to enjoy and see his grandchildren.  He also asked for his family’s forgiveness for the suffering they have endured because of his actions.

The sentencing filing below was filed yesterday and contains facts and specifics of the case:

  Danile Barrera Barrera, El Loco Gov Sentencing Memo