FAST DOWNLOAD
Arnaldo Urbina Soto
Judge Denise L. Cote of the Southern District Court of New York finally sentenced Arnaldo Urbina Soto , who faced charges of drug trafficking and other related crimes.
Following his conviction, Urbina’s defense asked that he be sent to a Pennsylvania prison .
After evaluating the arguments presented by the prosecution and the defense, the judge handed down a sentence of 226 months in prison , equivalent to 18 years and 8 months . At the end of his sentence, Urbina Soto will be subject to deportation proceedings .
The hearing, initially scheduled for September 25, was postponed before the judge delivered her verdict in Courtroom 18B , concluding one of the most controversial cases linking former Honduran officials to international drug networks.
U.S. prosecutors had sought a 20-year prison sentence , while Urbina’s defense, led by attorney Carla Sanderson , argued that her client had already served enough time after spending 10 years in detention in Honduras.
The defense argued that Urbina’s years spent in the El Progreso, Yoro and Támara prisons , where Sanderson said he used his time to rehabilitate himself, should be considered. “The ten years he spent in prison.
Defense attorney Carla Sanderson said her client “underwent a religious conversion and worked in the kitchen at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) . ”
He also noted that the crimes were committed in complicity with his brothers.
The defense argued that “while he was imprisoned in Honduras, the accused was able to receive visits from his family, something that is not possible here. It is not necessary to apply further punishment ,” the lawyer stressed in an attempt to mitigate the sentence.
Urbina spoke
Judge Denise L. Cote then addressed the defendant: “Mr. Urbina Soto?” , to which he responded:
“I accept my responsibility. I am 44 years old and have four children. I apologize for my actions ,” said Urbina Soto, seeking forgiveness from the court.
With a broken voice, Urbina Soto expressed his regret before the court: “I wish my wife could be here, but she does not have the proper papers to travel. I apologize for my misconduct. God bless you, Your Honor . “
Judge Denise L. Cote, unfazed, responded firmly: “You used your position as mayor to promote drug trafficking . “
Extradition and the charges against him
Despite receiving alternative measures in Honduras, such as house arrest, Urbina’s fate was sealed when he was extradited to the United States on January 31, 2023 .
At the time, he was charged with conspiracy to traffic cocaine into the United States, a charge that was more serious than the previous crimes for which he was prosecuted in Honduras, including abuse of authority, embezzlement, money laundering and possession of prohibited weapons .
Sanderson argued that Urbina has met the goals of justice by spending a decade behind bars and asked that he be given a second chance.
However, the US government singled out Urbina as a key player in one of Honduras ‘s largest drug trafficking conspiracies , suggesting that justice must be unforgiving in the face of the scale of the crime.
