Most mother and father need a greater life for his or her youngsters. And that is precisely what attorneys declare motivated Shakira Martinez of Bear, Delaware, to fall into a lifetime of crime.

Martinez, the spouse of one of the vital vital cocaine traffickers in Delaware historical past, has now been sentenced to jail. She is going to spend 9 years behind bars for cash laundering, conspiracy to commit cash laundering, and structuring financial institution transactions. Her husband, Omar Colon, who was additionally individually convicted in 2021 on associated counts—conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or extra of cocaine and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute—was sentenced to 45 years. Each have been discovered responsible in a 2022 trial.

Involvement

At her sentencing, the federal government claimed that Martinez hid almost 1,000,000 {dollars} in drug proceeds, serving to to create a drug empire for Colon. With out Martinez, the federal government argued, Colon’s success wouldn’t have been attainable.

In accordance with court docket data, starting round 2009, Martinez and Colon included an organization in Delaware, referred to as Zemi Property Administration. They’d go on to make use of the corporate to launder almost 1,000,000 {dollars} in drug proceeds. Cash laundering is a time period used to explain how cash from criminality—”soiled cash”—turns into authentic, or clear, in order that it may possibly’t be traced.

The Scheme

Between 2009 and 2017, Martinez opened and managed a minimum of eight financial institution accounts at 4 totally different monetary establishments to conduct enterprise on behalf of Zemi. In accordance with the federal government, she deposited the “soiled cash” in these accounts, making money deposits of over $300,000—generally conducting a number of day by day transactions at totally different banks to cover her tracks. The corporate then used these funds to purchase cashier’s checks to fund property purchases.

Martinez was personally concerned in shopping for lots of Zemi’s properties and was additionally accountable for amassing lease and mortgage funds. And in keeping with proof introduced at trial, she was the first contact between Zemi and its tax return preparer, offering the knowledge he wanted to aim to legitimize the corporate.

Throughout this time, Colon’s drug enterprise was thriving. His drug gross sales generated lots of of hundreds of {dollars} in proceeds that he couldn’t simply spend with out attracting consideration. By funneling Colon’s drug cash right into a “authentic” actual property firm, Martinez helped conceal Colon’s drug actions from legislation enforcement.

Martinez additionally understood that the properties that she helped purchase weren’t only a technique of laundering cash—they have been a part of the drug operation. Through the years, Martinez additionally engaged in particular acts regarding Colon’s drug actions, together with bringing cash to a drug deal, selecting up drug proceeds, and renting a truck to move kilograms of cocaine.

Martinez used the cash to purchase a household house in Delaware. The house included a swimming pool—and ultimately an underground bunker. The Drug Enforcement Administration found the bunker, accessed by a tunnel behind a false fire, and used to cover a marijuana develop operation. The bunker and associated tunnel have been 2,000 sq. ft with 20-foot ceilings. “That tunnel was one thing DEA normally offers with out within the southwest a part of our nation,” Shawn Ellerman, particular agent answerable for the DEA’s Philadelphia discipline, stated on the time.

Martinez additionally bought a number of high-value automobiles, together with a brand-new Jeep Grand Cherokee and an Infiniti QX80.

The cash proved to be her undoing. Particular Agent in Cost Yury Kruty stated, “IRS Legal Investigation particular brokers are uniquely certified to comply with complicated monetary transactions and uncover the supply of the unlawful funds. Martinez and Colon employed a number of ways to wash up their ill-gotten beneficial properties, however in the long run, they may not outsmart the federal government.”

Martinez’s Household

The flexibility to supply effectively for her youngsters, it was argued at sentencing, was an important issue for Martinez’s felony exercise. Martinez was 16 when she moved out of her mother and father’ house as a result of she was pregnant along with her first youngster. 4 years later, Martinez and Colon would have their second youngster. Martinez labored at an early age to supply for her youngsters, incomes her highschool diploma and dealing a number of jobs.

The federal government alleged that even whereas she wished to make use of the proceeds to make a greater life for her household, she wasn’t above together with members of the family in her scheme. Martinez allowed Colon to retailer medicine in a storage unit rented in her mom’s title. In accordance with court docket paperwork, Martinez picked up drug cash on the best way to the park along with her child and went on a household seaside outing with drug traffickers. And, at her mother and father’ request, their teenage daughter, Karina, carried out banking transactions and actual property transactions funded by drug proceeds—court docket paperwork clarify that the habits had put her “liable to being criminally charged as a co-conpirator” although she was not charged.

Continued Operations

At age 27, whereas Colon was serving a five-year jail sentence for cocaine trafficking, Martinez pursued a paralegal certificates from the College of Delaware—absolutely an indication that she was prepared to show issues round. Solely she didn’t. Regardless that Martinez was estranged from Colon for a while throughout and after his incarceration, she continued to launder the drug cash. In accordance with sentencing paperwork, throughout the 5 years that they have been aside, she facilitated the acquisition of 11 of 18 properties used within the cash laundering scheme.

Colon was arrested on Could 6, 2017, shortly after giving his cocaine provider $382,045 in money in a Crimson Roof Lodge car parking zone in Newark, Delaware. In accordance with police and prosecutors, Colon was related to the Sinaloa cartel. The Sinaloa cartel, or Sinaloa Federation, is led by imprisoned Mexican drug lord Joaquin Guzman, generally referred to as “El Chapo.

Colon was convicted in July 2022. His second trial—along with Martinez—targeted on monetary crimes. The case was investigated by Inner Income Service, Legal Investigation, and the DEA Philadelphia Division.

Sentencing

Earlier than imposing the sentence, Circuit Choose Bibas famous that cash laundering is a “large subject that fuels the drug commerce with all its harms.”

After sentencing, Thomas Hodnett, Particular Agent in Cost of the DEA Philadelphia Discipline Division, applauded the sentence, saying, “Martinez’s cash laundering and structuring actions have been the gasoline that allowed her husband Colon to proceed to buy cocaine in furtherance of his drug-trafficking actions.”