Latest news with #Espino
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pasco drug leader gets 22 years in hot sauce torture kidnapping case
TAMPA — As drug cases go, this one was horrendous. It involved one dealer accusing another of stealing his business, a kidnapping plot and torture by hot sauce. It ended Wednesday when a federal judge sentenced Mario Espino, a young man a prosecutor called 'a victim of his own ambition,' who aspired to be the 'No. 1 drug dealer in Pasco County,' to 22 years in prison. Yet, in a 90-minute sentencing hearing, Espino was at once condemned for his crimes and praised for his candor in helping prosecutors take down other dealers who dominated the flow of fentanyl and methamphetamine in areas north of Tampa. The government sought close to 30 years in prison. He could have gotten life. His sentence balanced what the government said was substantial assistance Espino gave to investigators, testimony of a dismal childhood and his leadership of a ruthless criminal enterprise. 'This is not someone who's just selling drugs on the corner,' Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sullivan said in court. 'This is a high-level trafficker who we know, without a doubt, is extremely violent.' Yet, U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven observed, the government made deals with him. The prosecutor responded with an adage: 'You can't cast a play in hell with angels.' Said the judge: 'All plays that can be cast don't have to be cast.' The prosecutor agreed. No more deals would be made in this case. Espino's downfall began one morning almost two years ago. Pasco sheriff's deputies and federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents had been watching a little house with a front yard of gravel and concrete on a straight street called Eisenhower Drive in Holiday. The cops descended on a Dodge Durango SUV that pulled up. Espino and two other men got out and ran, but didn't get far. In the SUV's back seat was a man, his wrists and ankles bound with zip ties, his head covered with a blue pillowcase. His name was Gadiel Leger. He is described in court records as a fellow drug trafficker. Bad blood brewed when Espino learned Leger was dealing with some of his clients. Cops had spoken to Leger the day before — Oct. 21, 2023 — after he stepped off a plane at Tampa International Airport. They'd told him that Espino was planning to kidnap and kill him. They'd learned as much from a confidential informer, who said Espino planned to hold Leger for ransom. Leger apparently ignored their warnings. Espino recruited two other men — Joey Young and Jacob Guest — to help in the kidnapping plot, prosecutors said. Court documents describe Espino as luring Leger to Tampa with the promise of paying a debt he owed. The three men were waiting at Espino's home when Leger showed up that night. After he walked inside, Young and Guest pulled guns as Espino grabbed Leger's neck from behind and wrestled him to the floor. The three men used zip ties to bind Leger's wrists and ankles. They hit him with fists and guns in his face, chest and body, according to court records. The beating lasted hours. Espino phoned someone, not named but identified in court records as a Leger's 'source of supply.' He demanded 22 pounds of fentanyl in exchange for his release. He went through Leger's phone, photographing his contact lists in search for his other drug suppliers, court records state. The men dragged Leger into the home's garage and put him in the back of a Dodge Charger. They shrouded his head with a T-shirt and covered his eyes with a sweat band, court records state. They drove somewhere, then returned to the home. All the while, the beating continued. Amid the melee, the men poured hot sauce into Leger's eyes, records state. Espino, according a police report, removed Leger's pants and poured the hot sauce into his rear end. While Leger was being tortured, another man, Jacob Arjona, arrived in a minivan. He walked inside carrying a black suitcase that held 50 pounds of methamphetamine, court records state. He collected a cash payment of $113,100. While he was there, he saw Leger, tied up and bleeding, and joined in the beating, records state. After he drove away, cops stopped Arjona and found the cash. Back at the house, the men put Leger in the SUV and drove him somewhere. When they returned, the cops were there. Leger was hospitalized with numerous injuries, including a brain bleed. In Espino's house, agents seized large quantities of meth and fentanyl and a backpack that held more than $13,000. Espino, 26, became the first defendant in the case to plead guilty and the first to offer information to investigators. Young, Guest and Arjona also eventually pleaded guilty to various crimes related to the kidnapping. Guest and Young received 20 and 25 years in prison respectively. Espino helped agents identify several other drug dealers, the prosecutor said. He became a key witness against two in particular. Marcus and Pierre Fowler were described in court as the top dealers in Pasco County. Marcus pleaded guilty to drug charges and got 24 years in prison. Pierre was convicted at trial, in which Espino testified, and awaits sentencing. 'They were the people Mr. Espino went to for most of his drug supply,' Sullivan said. 'They are who Mario Espino was trying to be.' Beyond his drug crimes, Espino was alleged to be responsible for at least four shootings in Pasco County. After his arrest, the prosecutor said, violent crime in Pasco County saw a marked decline. In court Wednesday, Espino stood with shoulders slumped, wearing orange. A large tattoo of a U.S. 19 road sign marked the center of his neck. He insisted that he has changed. He told the judge he was broken mentally and spiritually when he committed the crimes. He asked for a chance at an education, a legitimate career and fatherhood. Leger, 36, who faces federal drug charges unrelated to Espino's case, was not in court. The judge asked: Why did he torture the man? Espino explained that he blamed Leger for the loss of some of his drug supply. He was also angered when he learned Leger was dealing with some of his biggest clients behind his back. 'I didn't plan on killing him,' Espino said. 'I just planned on putting fear in him. But I did go overboard.' His older brother Dionicio Espino, a Marine veteran and investment banker, read a lengthy statement detailing their troubled upbringing. He described their father as a violent criminal who was murdered in Mexico. Their mother, he said, suffered from mental illness and died from the long-term effects of substance abuse. He spoke of a home life that lacked stability, where the children would come home from school to find their mother passed out near burnt spoons and empty liquor bottles. The younger Espino was in and out of group homes. He dropped out of school. His lack of education kept him from following his brother into the military. With few other prospects, he turned to drug dealing. 'So many people have failed Mario,' his brother said. Before Espino was led away by U.S. Marshals, the judge closed the courtroom so he could visit alone with his baby daughter. It was the first time he'd seen her in person.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Yahoo
Marquette officer sentenced, misconduct tied to OWI investigation
The Brief A Marquette University police officer is accused of trying to "botch" a case. The felony charge stems from a 2023 OWI crash investigation. Court filings said he "left things out" of reports to help the driver with her case. MILWAUKEE - A Marquette University police officer will serve probation after he pleaded guilty to trying to "botch" an OWI crash investigation that began in 2023. In Court Court records show 30-year-old Isaiah Espino pleaded guilty on Thursday to attempted misconduct, a felony. He was then sentenced to one year of probation. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android. The backstory Prosecutors said Espino committed misconduct in public office, using his position as a police officer to "obtain a dishonest advantage" for another person. A criminal complaint said Espino responded to a crash near 15th and State in April 2023. He arrested the driver for operating while under the influence. During the subsequent trial, the driver's defense brought up text messages Espino sent to her. In those messages, court filings said Espino said he would try to "screw up the case" so the driver could get out of the charge. During the trial, Espino admitted to sending the texts. He also said he didn't write anything false in his reports; he just "didn't write the best report" he could have. "Forgive me but I'm not sure how your situation is now but I wanted to give you a heads up. I tried botching up the paperwork so nothing would come of it, well some high ranks above me forced me to fix it," one of those messages read, per the complaint. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News A Marquette police sergeant told investigators he had to send back numerous OWI and PAC tickets from Espino, according to prosecutors. He said all the issues were with typographical errors, which were later fixed. He said Espino would resubmit tickets with only one or two of the problems fixed each time. What they're saying Investigators spoke to the driver. Court filings said she was "very emotional" and thought Espino "felt bad" for her. She said Espino never mentioned anything during her arrest about trying to help her out of any charges. When investigators asked Espino what he did to "botch" the investigation, prosecutors said he told them none of the paperwork got messed up because it was eventually accepted. He claimed he did not deliberately make errors and that the number of send-backs was average for him. Prosecutors said Espino later admitted he "left things out of the report" to help the driver with her case "a little bit" – including specifics of sobriety tests. He explained he sent the driver text messages before her trial for "peace of mind." When charges were filed, the Marquette University Police Department said Espino was "placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation." After he was sentenced, FOX6 News reached out to MUPD about Espino's employment status but did not immediately hear back. The Source Information in this report is from the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
Memorial set this week for man killed in apparent road rage attack
Editor's note: This video is from a March 18 press conference about Edward Espino's homicide. AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the Austin Police Department continues to search for whoever shot and killed 47-year-old Edward Espino in an apparent road rage incident earlier this month, his friends and family have organized a memorial event for him, set to take place later this week. Espino's close friend and roommate, Steven Slyter, described Espino as kind, hard-working and fun. Slyer said the last thing Espino did before he died was give a friend a ride home from a South by Southwest (SXSW) event instead of her having to take an Uber. 'So the last thing he did before he died was a favor,' Slyter said. Police found Espino dead in his car – a black Mitsubishi Mirage – on Interstate 35 North just north of Braker Lane, around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 16. Investigators initially responded to what was reported as a crash with the Mirage and a Ford Bronco, but then found Espino with gunshot wounds. Police do not believe the driver of the Bronco had anything to do with the homicide. 'Based on our preliminary investigation, we believe road rage was involved,' APD said. Espino was part of the Austin Gay Men's Chorus, and the group will sing at his memorial event on Wednesday, Slyter said. The event is set for 7 p.m. at St. John's United Methodist Church on Allandale Road. APD is now seeking community help for any information related to the homicide that could further the investigation. Anyone with information should contact APD at 512-974-TIPS. A reward of up to $1,000 is possible for information leading to an arrest. KXAN will update this story with more details about who Espino was as a person. Check back for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Yahoo
Greenfield woman gets 8 years in prison for fatal crash near Timmerman Airport
A Greenfield woman has been sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty in a fatal drunken driving crash near Timmerman Airport in Milwaukee, according to online Milwaukee County court records. Alma Espino, 26, was sentenced Thursday by Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Jeffrey Wagner after she pleaded guilty to one count of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle. The second charge ― homicide by use of vehicle with prohibited alcohol concentration ― was dismissed. After Espino is released from prison, she will serve six years of extended supervision. She was also ordered to not use any firearms or body armor. Records show she has been in custody since July 13, and will receive credit for 253 days served. On the evening of July 11, Milwaukee police arrested Espino after causing a crash that killed Dimitri Boone, 57, of Milwaukee, who was found trapped beneath a vehicle at North Swan Road and West Hampton Avenue. Witnesses told police Espino was speeding and driving erratically before crashing into a fence and flipping her car. Espino seemed unaware that she had been a car crash and struck a pedestrian. Her blood alcohol concentration was 0.163%, more than twice the legal limit. Police noted they smelled intoxicants from Espino and found open containers of Crown Royal Peach Tea Whisky in her vehicle. Contact Adrienne Davis at amdavis@ Follow her on X at @AdriReportss. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Greenfield woman sentenced to 8 years in prison after fatal crash
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Yahoo
Man accused of kidnapping 14-year-old girl faces new charges
Southaven, Miss. — The man accused of kidnapping a 14-year-old girl from Memphis is facing new charges. Diego Velasquez-Espino, who is already charged with kidnapping, fugitive from justice, and statutory rape in Mississippi, appeared in Southaven Municipal Court Wednesday. Man accused of kidnapping 14-year-old due in court Espino's attorney, Victoria Washington, and Southaven Chief Prosecutor William B. Seale said the new charges have not been announced yet. When Diego Velasquez-Espino entered the courtroom, he was much quieter than he was at last month's court appearance. Several of the defendant's family members appeared in court, but cameras were not allowed inside. Police said Espino abducted the Parkway Village teen at gunpoint on Feb. 21. Hours after a Statewide Amber Alert was issued, officers found the missing teen at Espino's home along Stateline Road, just east of Southaven. The reported crime sent shockwaves in the victim's neighborhood. According to the Shelby County Criminal Justice System Portal, Espino is charged with aggravated kidnapping, four counts of aggravated assault, aggravated burglary, and possession of a firearm/dangerous felony. Seale said there are still no updates on Espino's extradition to Shelby County. The suspect has not entered a plea for the DeSoto County charges, and he's expected to remain in the Desoto County jail for the time being. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
