Courts: Men convicted for roles in cocaine trafficking ring

ALEXANDRIA —A federal jury this week convicted two men, including two from Woodbridge, for their roles in a cocaine trafficking ring which brought drugs from Mexico to Northern Virginia.

After a trial in U.S. District Court in Alexandria on Feb. 10, a jury convicted Erasmo Alvarado-Ibarra, also known as Chiquilin, 28, of Woodbridge of conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

Jose Zuniga-Ruiz, also known as Tio Tony, 40, of Woodbridge, and Silvestre Castro-Sandoval, also known as Silver, 36, of Stafford, were both convicted of conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office.

Prosecutors said the three men were involved in a ring that received multi-kilogram shipments of cocaine from Mexico each month and distributed it in Fairfax and Prince William counties.

According to court documents, people known as couriers would smuggle drugs into the area from Mexico and those involved in the conspiracy would collect and distribute the drugs. The court documents state that the men often met at hotels in the area of U.S. 1 in Woodbridge and distributed drugs in Woodbridge and Alexandria.

All three men are set to be sentenced on May 18. Alvarado-Ibarra faces 10 years to life and prison, and Zuniga-Ruiz and Castro-Sandoval face five to 40 years in prison.

This case was investigated as part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation called “Operation Springfield Snow,” according to the news release. To date, 55 people have been convicted for their participation in this cocaine trafficking ring, prosecutors said in the news release.

Amanda Stewart writes for the News & Messenger.