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Pair gets 45 years in drug case

By LEE WILLIAMS
lwilliams@TheCitizenNews.com

Two Gwinnett County men caught during an undercover sting operation that injured two deputies and damaged three vehicles in July were ordered Tuesday morning to serve 45 years in prison and pay a $1 million fine.

Efrain Oliveres, 27, of Running Fox Trail, Norcross; and Roberto Camacho, 27, of Monfort Street, Lawrenceville, were charged with two counts of trafficking cocaine in connection with the July 30, 2004, incident.

The men and a third Gwinnett County man were arrested after undercover drug agents caught them with four kilograms of cocaine on Pine Trail Road near Fayette Pavilion. The drugs had an estimated street value of $100,000, agents said.

The cases of the two men, who were tried together in a Fayette County courtroom, began Monday and wrapped up about 11 a.m. Tuesday. Griffin Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Johnnie Caldwell Jr. presided over the case.

After hearing testimony from several witnesses offered by Griffin Judicial Circuit Assistant District Attorney Warren Sellers, and testimony from defendant Oliveres, the jurors including six women and six men were released to deliberate over the case.

Oliveres, decked in a burgundy golf shirt and blue khakis, bowed his head; and Camacho, dressed in a light blue oxford shirt and beige khakis squirmed in his seat while Sellers read the verdict.

The jurors found Oliveres not guilty on one count of trafficking cocaine. However, he was found guilty on the other count of trafficking cocaine.

Camacho, who allegedly had cocaine in his shirt pocket during the sting, was found guilty on both counts of trafficking cocaine.

Caldwell ordered the defendants to their feet while deputies handcuffed them. The men were ushered toward the judge’s bench to hear the ruling.

“You men were in possession of 3,942.17 grams of cocaine, with an average purity of 80 percent,” Caldwell said. “The wholesale market on that is between $22,500 and $25,000 per kilo. The reason I know this is I’ve been doing this in some capacity for 33 years.”

If the four kilos were cut up and sold, the drugs would have a street value of $7,884,340, the judge said. Due to the purity of the drugs, the street value of the drugs would quadruple and net $31,537,360, Caldwell said.

He said 31,537 hits could have been produced out of the packs, he said.

“Folks, that’s the problem with drugs in this community and of course that is the real problem with a substance of this nature,” Caldwell said.

With that, Caldwell sentenced Camacho to 45 years in prison and he ordered him to pay a mandatory $1 million fine. Oliveres received the same sentence.

Caldwell told the men they had a right to appeal the verdict if they deemed it too harsh.

Attorney Johnny Castaneda represented Oliveres. Attorney Ryan Starks represented Camacho. Both of the men needed a translator to explain the day’s events to them.

Starks disagreed with his client’s verdict.

“I think the 45 years was a little excessive,” Starks said after the trial. “But the case can be reviewed by a Superior Court sentencing panel, and hopefully we’ll do that and it will be reduced to be more in level with other convictions similar to this one.”

However, Sellers lauded the verdict and the outcome of the case.

“I was pleased with this whole case,” Sellers said. “I was very proud of how the Special Agents of the drug task force handled themselves and took such a large quantity of drugs off the street.”