Basalo
United States v. Basalo
Opinion
Opinion
Walker, J.
SENTENCING ORDER
Jaime Aberlado Basalo was convicted by a jury on December 17, 1997, on three counts: (1) conspiracy to export cocaine in violation of 21 USC §§ 963 and 953(a); (2) conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine in violation of 21 USC §§ 846 and 841(a)(1) and (3) aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute cocaine in violation of 18 USC § 2 and 21 USC § 841 (a)(1). This order imposes sentence for these offenses.
I
The relevant factual background is provided in the presentence report and the parties’ sentencing memoranda. Basalo is a native of Uruguay who has resided in Australia for most of his life and has become an Australian citizen. He has been in federal custody since his arrest on February 27, 1996.
Acting on information received from Australian officials, federal customs agents detained codefendants Mark Duggan and Euripidis Mitrou as they were boarding a flight from San Francisco to Sydney on February 26, 1996. Agents searched Dug-gan and Mitrou and found a total of 7.9 kilograms of cocaine in packages strapped to their bodies. Further investigation led agents to Basalo and codefendant Michael Wayne Sanderson, who were staying in a…