Boston officer sentenced to 26 years in drug case

May 16, 2008 03:02 PM
By Jonathan Saltzman, Globe Staff

Roberto "Kiko'' Pulido, the rogue Boston police officer who enlisted two 
fellow patrolman in a brazen scheme to escort trucks bringing cocaine into 
the city, was sentenced today to 26 years in federal prison by a judge who 
said the defendant had disgraced his badge.
Boston Police Department photo


"The people who wear that badge have a sense of honor,'' US District Judge 
William G. Young said, staring at Pulido, the ringleader of one of the most 
notorious police corruption scandals in recent Boston history. "You are ... 
dead to that sense of honor.''

The sentence was what a federal prosecutor had sought and six years longer 
than that recommended by Pulido's public defender, who said her client's 
abuse of steroids contributed to his crimes.

Pulido, who pleaded guilty in the middle of his trial in November to drug 
trafficking charges, apologized to both the Boston Police Department and the 
MBTA Transit Police, of which he had previously been a member.
"It was my lifelong goal to be a Boston police officer,'' said Pulido, 
wearing a khaki-colored jumpsuit and white sneakers. "No one is more 
disappointed than myself.''
Two rows of the courtroom were filled with supporters and relatives of 
Pulido. Most of them wore white T-shirts emblazoned with a photograph of a 
smiling Pulido beneath the words "Kiko We Love You.''
Michael K. Loucks, the first assistant US attorney in Massachusetts, who 
watched another federal prosecutor argue for the harsh punishment, said 
afterward that Pulido "deserves every second of that sentence.''
Pulido's guilty plea came on the fourth day of his trial in US District 
Court in Boston, capping an extraordinary police corruption scandal whose 
reverberations are still being felt.
In the previous two days, jurors heard a swaggering, expletive-spewing 
Pulido in two dozen conversations secretly recorded by the FBI as part of a 
carefully constructed sting that began in late 2003 and culminated with the 
arrests of Pulido and fellow officers Carlos Pizarro and Nelson Carrasquillo 
in July 2006. All three officers belonged to a police motorcycle unit.
Pulido and the two officers plotted an audacious scheme with men they 
thought were drug dealers to protect trucks that brought 140 kilograms of 
cocaine to Boston. The three officers did not know that the drug dealers 
were undercover FBI agents and that the cocaine had previously been seized 
by the government.
On April 23, 2006, Pulido and Carrasquillo monitored Police Department radio 
channels while a transfer of 40 kilograms of cocaine took place at a garage 
on Washington Street with the undercover FBI agents, according to 
prosecutors.
Then on June 8, 2006, the three police officers guided a truck containing 
about 100 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated wholesale value of more 
than $2 million from Western Massachusetts to the city, prosecutors said. 
The officers were paid a total of $51,000 by FBI agents posing as drug 
dealers.
The three officers were arrested in Miami in July 2006 by federal agent. 
Shortly before the arrests, the officers had arranged a deal to protect 
another shipment of 1,000 kilograms of cocaine and five kilograms of heroin.
The secret tape-recordings also featured Pulido allegedly running numerous 
other rackets involving identity fraud, fraudulently obtained store gift 
cards, steroid sales, and prostitution. Pulido was never charged in those 
schemes.
Jurors also saw a surveillance photograph of Pulido in a congratulatory 
embrace of an undercover agent posing as a drug dealer called Big Manny in 
an Atlantic City casino. Pulido hugged the phony drug dealer after receiving 
a softball-sized wad of $15,000 that bulged in his pocket.
Although the government had only presented part of its case against Pulido, 
the tapes and photographs had already made the defendant seem more like a 
grade B movie crime boss than a crimefighter.
Pulido pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 
more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and 1 kilogram of heroin and two counts of 
attempting to aid and abet the distribution of the cocaine. He pleaded no 
contest to a fourth charge of carrying a gun in a drug-trafficking crime.
In a Globe interview from a New Hampshire jail shortly after his plea, 
Pulido said he was pumped full of steroids when he suggested to undercover 
agents in Atlantic City that he knew a good way to transport cocaine into 
Boston.
He said a steroid addiction made him exaggerate many of the statements he 
made on the surveillance tapes and called many of his comments pure fantasy. 
In his mind at the time, he said, he was playing a role in a Hollywood 
movie. He even recited lines from "Training Day,'' the film about a corrupt 
officer.
"Anyone who knows me knows that I was acting,'' he said. "It was pure 
puffery.''
Pulido's co-defendants, Carrasquillo and Pizarro, were recently sentenced to 
18 years and 13 years, respectively, after pleading guilty last year.
Authorities in March also charged an acquaintance of Pulido with helping to 
plant drugs and a gun on an innocent man and then breaking into his 
apartment to steal a safe containing $18,000 as part of a conspiracy with 
the rogue officer.
In addition, as many as a dozen Boston police officers have been summoned 
before a federal grand jury investigating steroid use and after-hours 
parties -- an offshoot of the probe that led to the convictions of the three 
officers, three law enforcement officials familiar with the case told the 
Globe in March.

BOGOTA, Colombia (CNN) -- The Colombian government sent 14 suspected 
paramilitary leaders to the United States on drug charges Tuesday after 
authorities said they violated a 2003 deal with the government.


Rodrigo Tovar was one of 14 accused drug traffickers to be extradited Tuesday 
morning.


"This morning, a group of citizens were extradited," President Alvaro Uribe said 
in a nationally televised address Tuesday. "Some of them had relapsed into their 
crimes ... others weren't cooperating with justice, and all had failed to 
compensate their victims."

Authorities say the men were members of the outlawed United Self-Defense Forces 
of Colombia, or AUC, an organization that the United States regards as one of 
the most powerful drug trafficking rings in the world and has labeled a 
terrorist organization.

The men boarded a plane around 6:45 a.m. to face charges in Washington, Florida, 
New York and Texas.

The defendants, who authorities say held various positions of power in the drug 
ring, will face charges including conspiracy to import and manufacture cocaine, 
providing support to a terrorist organization and money laundering.

Under the terms of the original deal, Uribe said the Colombian government agreed 
to freeze extradition to the United States and grant the defendants light 
sentences if they confessed to their crimes and compensated their victims.

Uribe said he agreed to extradition because authorities believed the men were 
dealing drugs from inside prison.

Don't Miss
  a.. Colombian warlord pleads not guilty to drug trafficking
  b.. Colombia extradites paramilitary leader to U.S.
In exchange for their extradition to the United States, the Department of 
Justice agreed not to seek life sentences.

"These extraditions are yet another substantial step by the government of 
Colombia, in partnership with the United States, to hold accountable those who 
support terrorist organizations and send illegal drugs into this country," said 
U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey in a statement from the Drug Enforcement 
Administration.

The 14 men, taken from three Colombian prisons, left for the United States about 
6:45 a.m., the Colombian government said. A plane carrying 11 of them landed 
late Tuesday afternoon in Miami, Florida. Another was flown directly to New 
York, while the two others were flown to Tampa, Florida.

The DEA said they would make initial court appearances in the districts where 
they arrived in the United States.

The defendants include Salvatore Mancuso Gomez, called "El Mono," once allegedly 
among the group's most senior leadership. Some of the defendants have already 
been indicted in the United States, including Diego Fernando Murillo Bejarano, 
for allegedly conspiring to smuggle thousands of kilograms of cocaine into the 
U.S.

Last week, Colombia extradited paramilitary boss Carlos Mario Jimenez Naranjo, 
also believed to be a former AUC leader, on drug-trafficking charges in the 
United States. Colombia claimed Jimenez had continued to traffic in drugs while 
in prison. His lawyer entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

The AUC was formed as an umbrella organization for militias battling left-wing 
guerilla groups Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National 
Liberation Army (ELN). Both FARC and ELN are at war with the Colombian 
government.

Under the guise of protecting the Colombian public from these leftist rebel 
groups, the AUC committed numerous human rights abuses, according to the U.S. 
State Department and Human Rights Watch.

The abuses include "the massacre of hundreds of civilians, the forced 
displacement of entire villages and the kidnapping of political figures to force 
recognition of AUC demands," then-U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said in 
2001, when he designated the group a terrorist organization. The U.S. also 
considers FARC and ELN terrorist organizations.

Dozens of current and former Colombian lawmakers have been linked to the AUC. 
Many others, including Uribe's second cousin, ex-Sen. Mario Uribe Escobar, are 
under investigation for alleged ties.

> BOGOTA, Colombia (CNN) -- The Colombian government sent 14 suspected 
> paramilitary leaders to the United States on drug charges Tuesday after 
> authorities said they violated a 2003 deal with the government.
>
>
> Rodrigo Tovar was one of 14 accused drug traffickers to be extradited 
> Tuesday morning.
>
>
> "This morning, a group of citizens were extradited," President Alvaro 
> Uribe said in a nationally televised address Tuesday. "Some of them had 
> relapsed into their crimes ... others weren't cooperating with justice, 
> and all had failed to compensate their victims."
>
> Authorities say the men were members of the outlawed United Self-Defense 
> Forces of Colombia, or AUC, an organization that the United States regards 
> as one of the most powerful drug trafficking rings in the world and has 
> labeled a terrorist organization.
>
> The men boarded a plane around 6:45 a.m. to face charges in Washington, 
> Florida, New York and Texas.
>
> The defendants, who authorities say held various positions of power in the 
> drug ring, will face charges including conspiracy to import and 
> manufacture cocaine, providing support to a terrorist organization and 
> money laundering.
>
> Under the terms of the original deal, Uribe said the Colombian government 
> agreed to freeze extradition to the United States and grant the defendants 
> light sentences if they confessed to their crimes and compensated their 
> victims.
>
> Uribe said he agreed to extradition because authorities believed the men 
> were dealing drugs from inside prison.
>
> Don't Miss
>  a.. Colombian warlord pleads not guilty to drug trafficking
>  b.. Colombia extradites paramilitary leader to U.S.
> In exchange for their extradition to the United States, the Department of 
> Justice agreed not to seek life sentences.
>
> "These extraditions are yet another substantial step by the government of 
> Colombia, in partnership with the United States, to hold accountable those 
> who support terrorist organizations and send illegal drugs into this 
> country," said U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey in a statement from 
> the Drug Enforcement Administration.
>
> The 14 men, taken from three Colombian prisons, left for the United States 
> about 6:45 a.m., the Colombian government said. A plane carrying 11 of 
> them landed late Tuesday afternoon in Miami, Florida. Another was flown 
> directly to New York, while the two others were flown to Tampa, Florida.
>
> The DEA said they would make initial court appearances in the districts 
> where they arrived in the United States.
>
> The defendants include Salvatore Mancuso Gomez, called "El Mono," once 
> allegedly among the group's most senior leadership. Some of the defendants 
> have already been indicted in the United States, including Diego Fernando 
> Murillo Bejarano, for allegedly conspiring to smuggle thousands of 
> kilograms of cocaine into the U.S.
>
> Last week, Colombia extradited paramilitary boss Carlos Mario Jimenez 
> Naranjo, also believed to be a former AUC leader, on drug-trafficking 
> charges in the United States. Colombia claimed Jimenez had continued to 
> traffic in drugs while in prison. His lawyer entered a not guilty plea on 
> his behalf.
>
> The AUC was formed as an umbrella organization for militias battling 
> left-wing guerilla groups Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) 
> and the National Liberation Army (ELN). Both FARC and ELN are at war with 
> the Colombian government.
>
> Under the guise of protecting the Colombian public from these leftist 
> rebel groups, the AUC committed numerous human rights abuses, according to 
> the U.S. State Department and Human Rights Watch.
>
> The abuses include "the massacre of hundreds of civilians, the forced 
> displacement of entire villages and the kidnapping of political figures to 
> force recognition of AUC demands," then-U.S. Secretary of State Colin 
> Powell said in 2001, when he designated the group a terrorist 
> organization. The U.S. also considers FARC and ELN terrorist 
> organizations.
>
> Dozens of current and former Colombian lawmakers have been linked to the 
> AUC. Many others, including Uribe's second cousin, ex-Sen. Mario Uribe 
> Escobar, are under investigation for alleged ties.
>
>
>