Tampa, FL – A federal jury has convicted Virgil Cooper, 42, of Cleveland, Ohio, and Angelo Jordan, 49, of Euclid, Ohio, on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Both men were also found guilty of attempting to possess with intent to distribute the same amount. Due to prior serious drug or violent felony convictions, each faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, with the potential for life imprisonment. Sentencing dates have yet to be scheduled.
During a four-day trial, evidence revealed that Cooper reconnected with a former prison cellmate who had been deported to Colombia after serving his sentence. Cooper sought to purchase multiple kilograms of cocaine directly from Colombia at a reduced price. The former cellmate introduced Cooper to a confidential source from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), who arranged a meeting with undercover officers in Tampa to view 10 kilograms of cocaine in February 2023.
At the time, Cooper was completing his sentence in a halfway house, so he sent his associate, Jordan, to inspect the cocaine. Following Cooper’s release, he and Jordan traveled from Cleveland to Tampa on August 3, 2023, intending to make a down payment of $120,000 for an initial purchase of 30 kilograms of cocaine. Both men were subsequently arrested.
The investigation was led by the DEA with assistance from the Tampa Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Special Assistant United States Attorney David Rehfuss and Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs, Jr. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation, which aims to identify, disrupt, and dismantle high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States through a collaborative, intelligence-driven approach. More information about OCDETF can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
