FL Man Received Cocaine Through Mail With Help Of Postal Worker: DOJ

BRADENTON, FL — A Bradenton man was sentenced Friday to 17 years and six months in federal prison for distributing cocaine through the mail, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release.

Angel Hernandez Coss, 38, pleaded guilty Jan. 17 to conspiring to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.

Hernandez Coss and his codefendant, Nathasha Prieto, a former United States postal carrier, orchestrated the scheme together.

She provided Hernandez Coss addresses on her delivery route that he used to secure shipments of cocaine from Puerto Rico, the DOJ said. Kilogram quantities of cocaine were shipped in packages to these addresses.

Prieto then removed the packages from the mail stream and gave them to Hernandez Coss, who sold and distributed the drugs.

She previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy and will be sentenced Tuesday.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Manatee County Sheriff's Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jim Preston.