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Area man gets 131/2 years for smuggling cocaine into the country Date published: 2/5/2010
BY KEITH EPPS
A Fredericksburg-area man was sentenced yesterday to 13 years in federal prison for his role in smuggling cocaine into the country. Nelson Wilfredo Rios, 49, was previously convicted in U.S. District Court in Alexandria of conspiring to import cocaine. According to court records, Rios is an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who settled in the Fredericksburg area. He helped a Mexican-based drug-trafficking organization smuggle numerous kilograms of cocaine into the United States during recent years. The smugglers built secret compartments in passenger vehicles to conceal the cocaine. Rios smuggled the cocaine himself and recruited several others from the Fredericksburg area to do the same, court records state. One of the people Rios recruited gave authorities information about Rios after being caught. Rios claimed in court records that he was forced by the drug cartel to participate in their scheme. He said he was kidnapped by cartel representatives and told that both he and his family would be harmed if he did not cooperate. Rios will be turned over to immigration officials for deportation once he finishes serving his time, court records state. Keith Epps: 540/374-5404
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