A significant case involving a Jacksonville-based drug trafficking operation has concluded with the sentencing of Yaquasia DelCarmen, marked by her pivotal role in an expansive illegal operation.
Yaquasia DelCarmen, 28, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison by the Department of Justice. She held the position of manager and supervisor within an armed drug trafficking organization (DTO). In addition, the court ordered her to forfeit $1.7 million, representing the illegal proceeds from the operation.
DelCarmen admitted her involvement in a conspiracy to distribute over 50 kilograms of marijuana and engage in money laundering activities. The DTO was responsible for acquiring between 200 and 800 pounds of marijuana from various grow operations in northern California and redistributing it through short-term rental accommodations in Jacksonville, particularly in Riverside and San Marco neighborhoods.
Nathaniel Hatcher, identified as the leader of the DTO and DelCarmen’s boyfriend, orchestrated the operation. DelCarmen was primarily responsible for the financial aspects, collecting drug profits and laundering them through bank accounts managed by herself and Hatcher. The laundering involved setting up sham businesses to conceal the origins of the money.
DelCarmen and her associates used the proceeds to fund a lavish lifestyle, including luxury vehicles and vacations to Miami, Hawaii, and California. Despite Hatcher’s arrest in February, DelCarmen continued the DTO’s operations in his absence. On Hatcher’s instructions, she attempted to intimidate a witness by revealing their identity on social media, aiming to deter their cooperation with law enforcement.
Several co-conspirators of DelCarmen have also faced legal repercussions. Desmond Maxwell confessed to straw-purchasing firearms related to a drug trafficking crime and could face up to 25 years in prison. Al’Donta Easterling and James Toney, both involved in marijuana distribution and violent acts during the conspiracy, face substantial sentences. Toney, Hatcher’s brother, faces a minimum of 15 years, if not life, for his part in a drive-by shooting related to the DTO activities.
Hatcher is scheduled for trial next year, having been formally charged with federal criminal violations. This case emerges from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF employs a coordinated approach, utilizing federal, state, and local agencies to target high-level drug traffickers and dismantle criminal organizations.
The sentencing of Yaquasia DelCarmen underscores the serious consequences of involvement in organized drug trafficking, illustrating the extensive legal measures taken to combat such activities.
Source: News4jax
