Florida man sentenced to prison, house arrest in smuggling of Dodgers' Puig
MIAMI - A South Florida businessman was sentenced to a month in prison and five months' house arrest for illegally helping finance the smuggling of Los Angeles Dodgers star Yasiel Puig out of Cuba.
Gilberto Suarez, 41, received less than the one-year maximum at Friday's hearing before U.S. District Judge Robert Scola. Prosecutors say Suarez cooperated extensively in the investigation.
Investigators say Suarez was one of the Miami-based financiers of the 2012 smuggling venture in which Puig was taken by boat from Cuba to Mexico. Prosecutors allege Suarez's main role was having Puig taken from Mexico City to the Texas border by taxi. The financiers were to receive a cut of the seven-year, $42 million contract Puig later signed with the Dodgers.
Scola said he showed leniancy to Suarez due to the understanding that Puig and others involved in the smuggling trip were threatened by members of Mexico's violent Zetas drug gang.
"I think the safety of the player and the other aliens was also paramount in his mind," the judge said Friday.
Court documents show Suarez got $2.5 million from Puig's contract. He agreed to forfeit a house, a condominium and a Mercedes-Benz as part of his plea deal. The agreement also stipulates Suarez must relinquish interest in St. Louis Cardinals prospect Aldemys Diaz.
- With files from theScore