Atlanta lawyer Page Pate wins acquittal for Texas pilot wrongfully charged in major federal cocaine conspiracy in Newnan
Our firm was hired last year to represent a Texas charter pilot accused of flying 175 kilograms of cocaine into Peachtree City, Georgia. On Wednesday, a federal jury in Newnan acquitted our client of any wrongdoing after a three day trial. Our client was facing life in prison if convicted.
The Fayette Daily News has the story.
Federal prosecutors charged our client, who is 68-years-old, with conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance as well as possessing with the intent to distribute a controlled substance. The evidence at trial showed that our client flew one to two customers in his small Cessna plane from south Texas to Peachtree City on seven occasions. During these trips, the customers would carry large, heavy suitcases and would return to Texas with same heavy suitcases the following day.
On the seventh trip, federal authorities tracked the plane as it flew into Peachtree City and followed the two customers to their hotel after they landed. At the hotel, the customers placed their bags into a Ford Explorer which was being driven by another individual. Police soon thereafter intercepted the Explorer, opened the bags, and found 175 kilograms of cocaine inside (which equates to nearly 400lbs). The street value of such an amount is valued at approximately $30-$50 million.
Federal prosecutors did their best to show the jury that our client knew of the drugs on board his plane. However, Page Pate effectively countered each of the government’s points and showed the jury that our client had absolutely no knowledge that he was transporting drugs.
After an hour and a half of deliberation, jurors returned not guilty verdicts on both counts.
This case represents a sad reminder of how drug conspiracy investigations can often cast a wide net which easily ensnares innocent people. In our experience, people with little to no information or knowledge of a drug conspiracy are treated just as harshly as those who planned it. However, in many of these cases, a criminal defense attorney can achieve a dismissal or reduced charge prior to trial by showing prosecutors that his client never knew of any drugs.
While prosecutors refused to dismiss charges in this case, we are very pleased that the jury affirmed our client’s innocence and restored his good name. We wish our client many years of happiness with his family and friends back in Texas.
