United States v. Alvaro Julio Echavarria-Olarte

Alvaro Julio Echavarria-Olarte (Echavar-ria) appeals his conviction of two conspiracies to import and distribute cocaine in the United States and of interstate and foreign travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise. We affirm his convictions.

PROCEEDINGS

Echavarria was indicted together with Simon Castoreña Sotelo, Raymond Frederick Lane, Albert Cruz Alaniz, Jesus Longo-ria Moreno, Carlos Rodriguez Sotelo, Carlos Leoncio Tafich, and John Doe I, a/k/a “Alvarado” for conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 963 ; for conspiracy with the same defendants to possessing with intent to distribute and to distribute five tons of cocaine in California in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 ; and, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1952 and 2, of travelling from Colombia to California, from California to Texas, from Texas to Colombia, and from Florida to Texas to carry on the enterprise of importing and distributing of cocaine and of shipping boxes and labels from California to Medellin, Colombia for the same purpose. The conspiracy was alleged to have begun not later than February 18, 1987 and continued through July 26, 1987. Only Echavarria stood trial. He was…