Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann has announced the unsealing of an indictment against Gerardo Gomez-Lubo, also known as Francisco Niño, a 42-year-old Colombian national. He is charged with conspiracy to distribute large quantities of cocaine with the knowledge and intent that it would be imported into the United States. If convicted on all charges, Gomez-Lubo could face a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
Court documents reveal that from approximately September 2017 through 2019, Gomez-Lubo was involved in a transnational criminal conspiracy transporting cocaine from Colombia to various locations in the United States, including Texas, California, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami, Florida.
An indictment was issued in April 2018 by the Middle District of Florida against Gomez-Lubo and his co-conspirator Piero Antonio Lubo-Barros for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Gomez-Lubo was apprehended on September 1, 2019, at Tocumen International Airport in Panama following a request by the United States. His extradition was granted by Panama on February 4, 2021, via Presidential Executive Order.
In January 2021, Piero Antonio Lubo-Barros was arrested in Costa Rica while living under an assumed identity at the behest of the United States. He is currently awaiting extradition to face charges in the U.S.
It is important to note that an indictment serves as a formal charge indicating that a defendant has potentially violated federal criminal law; however, every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial support concerning Gomez-Lubo's extradition. Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes will prosecute this case.