Dominican Elected Official Part Of Transnational Drug Ring: Feds

MIAMI, FLA. — A Dominican elected public official was arrested and charged with a drug trafficking operation in the United States after he was apprehended at Miami International Airport Monday night, prosecutors announced on Tuesday.

Miguel Andres Gutierrez Diaz, 48, of Santiago, was charged for his participation in a transnational drug ring that operated in the Dominican Republic, Colombia and the United States, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida announced. Gutierrez Diaz is an elected member of the Chamber of Deputies in the Dominican Republican and was part of the drug ring between 2014 and 2017, federal officials said.

He was charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine knowing that it would be imported to the United States, conspiracy to import cocaine to the U.S., and conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, officials said. If convicted, Gutierrez Diaz faces up to life in prison.

Gutierrez was scheduled to make his first court appearance in Miami on Tuesday afternoon.