Father, son of Miami cocaine kingpin plead guilty to laundering millions

Associated Press
Posted June 5 2003, 9:31 AM EDT

MIAMI -- The father and son of notorious Miami drug trafficker Sal Magluta have pleaded guilty to helping hide and launder millions of dollars in cocaine proceeds.

Manuel Magluta, 81, and Christian Magluta, 29, pleaded guilty Wednesday in a package deal. Manuel Magluta pleaded guilty to an obstruction of justice charge that could result in a prison sentence between six months and a year.

Christian Magluta pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge that probably will result in the maximum sentence, five years in federal prison.

``Christian was willing to eat the full five years if he could do something to minimize the impact on his grandfather,'' defense attorney Alan Ross said. ``And I think that's what we've accomplished here.''

Sentencing for both men is set for Sept. 5.

Sal Magluta and his boyhood pal Willy Falcon, known as ``The Boys,'' allegedly made a $2 billion profit running drugs through Miami when it was the world capital of cocaine smuggling in the 1980s.

They were acquitted of drug conspiracy charges in 1996, but prosecutors used the outcome to build another case showing how at least one juror was bribed and witnesses were paid or intimidated.

Magluta was convicted in August of juror bribery, witness tampering and money laundering. He is serving a 205-year sentence at the U.S. penitentiary in Marion, Ill.

Falcon's trial begins July 14.