Florida man pleads guilty to cocaine offense

ORLANDO, Fla. — A Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Orlando investigation led to a guilty plea for possession with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. Christian Noel Medina Torres, 35, of Lakeland, faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years in federal prison.

According to the plea agreement, an undercover agent with HSI arranged to sell Medina Torres 10 kilograms of cocaine in exchange for two Can-Am offroad vehicles and any cash Medina Torres could provide. On April 17, 2023, Medina Torres arrived in Volusia County with the two offroad vehicles and approximately $6,000 in cash. In exchange, the undercover agent provided Medina Torres a bag containing 10 kilograms of cocaine. After Medina Torres took the bag and began walking away, he was taken into custody.

His sentencing hearing is set for early May.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Middle District of Florida Courtney D. Richardson-Jones and Megan Testerman.

This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multiagency approach.

Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE.gov)