Ramiro Vanoy Murillo, 60, and Francisco Javier Zuluaga Lindo, 38, are among 14 paramilitary members extradited to the U.S.
Ramiro Vanoy Murillo, 60, and Francisco Javier Zuluaga Lindo, 38, are among 14 paramilitary members extradited to the U.S. in May for their alleged roles in a massive cocaine smuggling operation in the late 1990s. The two entered their pleas before U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore in downtown Miami.Under a plea agreement, Vanoy Murillo faces up to 19 years and Zuluaga Lindo more than 17 years behind bars. Prosecutors said they would drop additional charges against the two at sentencing. Each could also face up to $4 million in fines.The Bush administration agreed it would not seek life sentences as a precondition of their extradition. But on Tuesday, Moore reminded the defendants that he was not bound by the plea agreement in deciding sentencing.
A lean, bespectacled Vanoy Murillo, sporting a shaved head, and a husky Zuluaga Lindo attended the hearings quietly. Both wore standard beige jumpsuits, their feet in shackles and spoke only in response to the judge's questions.
At one point, asked his level of education, Vanoy Murillo responded: "I did not attend school. I am learning to read now in prison."The two are accused of conspiring to import thousands of kilograms of cocaine into the U.S. through Mexico. According to the defendants' attorney Dennis Urbano, Zuluaga Lindo offered to provide a boat for transport. Vanoy Murillo offered to sell some of the cocaine.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said he decided to extradite the men because they were still committing crimes from Colombian prisons and had failed to pay restitution to victims.
The rest of the 14 were extradited to Tampa, Washington, Houston and New York.
So far, Diego Murillo, 47, is the only other member of the extradited group to have pleaded guilty. He entered his plea in June to drug trafficking charges in Manhattan federal court and faces a sentence of up to 33 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 18. Human rights organizations claimed Diego Murillo was behind hundreds of murders in Colombia as part of the right-wing United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, known by the Spanish acronym AUC.Thousands of Colombians have lodged formal complaints of "atrocious crimes" against the paramilitaries _ including murder, rape and kidnapping. Hundreds of mass graves are thought to remain hidden in Colombia.
A lean, bespectacled Vanoy Murillo, sporting a shaved head, and a husky Zuluaga Lindo attended the hearings quietly. Both wore standard beige jumpsuits, their feet in shackles and spoke only in response to the judge's questions.
At one point, asked his level of education, Vanoy Murillo responded: "I did not attend school. I am learning to read now in prison."The two are accused of conspiring to import thousands of kilograms of cocaine into the U.S. through Mexico. According to the defendants' attorney Dennis Urbano, Zuluaga Lindo offered to provide a boat for transport. Vanoy Murillo offered to sell some of the cocaine.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said he decided to extradite the men because they were still committing crimes from Colombian prisons and had failed to pay restitution to victims.
The rest of the 14 were extradited to Tampa, Washington, Houston and New York.
So far, Diego Murillo, 47, is the only other member of the extradited group to have pleaded guilty. He entered his plea in June to drug trafficking charges in Manhattan federal court and faces a sentence of up to 33 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 18. Human rights organizations claimed Diego Murillo was behind hundreds of murders in Colombia as part of the right-wing United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, known by the Spanish acronym AUC.Thousands of Colombians have lodged formal complaints of "atrocious crimes" against the paramilitaries _ including murder, rape and kidnapping. Hundreds of mass graves are thought to remain hidden in Colombia.
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