Sentencing date confirmed for Cuban in Tampa who smuggled $102,000 into the U.S

Mirtza Ocaña will be sentenced in Tampa for smuggling over $102,000. She faces a penalty of up to five years in prison.

Cubana en Tampa © TikTok Mirtza Ocaña
Cuban Woman in TampaPhoto © TikTok Mirtza Ocaña

The Cuban Mirtza Ocaña, 39, will face her sentencing on November 18 in a federal court in Tampa, Florida, after pleading guilty to illegally bringing more than $102,000 in cash into the United States.

The hearing, presided over by Judge Kathryn K. Mizelle, is scheduled for 10 a.m., as confirmed by the Central Florida District Attorney's Office to the media outlet Café Fuerte.

Ocaña was arrested on February 5 at Tampa International Airport during a routine check. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents discovered $102,709 in cash that had not been declared.

The money was concealed in her luggage and among her clothing. When questioned, the accused admitted that she received payments ranging from $1,000 to $2,500 for each trip she made from Cuba to bring large sums of undeclared money into the United States.

From May 2023 until his arrest, Ocaña made 45 trips between the U.S. and Cuba, citing family reasons and alleged business activities related to shipping.

However, authorities are investigating whether there is a larger smuggling network behind these cash movements.

Ocaña's lawyer, Juan C. Mercado, asserts that there is no evidence of such a connection and that the accused is a person "without a criminal record and with a history of good conduct," who made an "error" by not declaring the money she was carrying.

The lawyer is confident that Judge Mizelle will consider his client's circumstances in imposing a reduced sentence, but the defendant faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.

During the process, Ocaña considered cooperating with the authorities to reduce his sentence. Ultimately, he withdrew from this option after assessing the strict conditions imposed by the federal government.

In August, she was found guilty. Since then, many are closely watching the sentence that will be announced this month, on the 18th, in Tampa.

Upon learning of this case of money smuggling from Cuba to the United States, there was speculation that Ocaña might be connected to the former Cuban Minister of Economy, Alejandro Gil Fernández, who was dismissed in February following serious corruption allegations.

Ocaña's lawyer described the rumors linking the Cuban woman from Tampa to the former minister as "absurd." He stated that there is no connection between his client and the regime on the island.

The National Security Investigations team has handled this case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Buchanan, who emphasized the seriousness of the charges, which include smuggling and conspiracy with an unidentified individual to transport illicit money into the United States.

U.S. laws permit the entry of any amount of cash but require that amounts over $10,000 be declared. This regulation aims to combat money laundering and criminal activities, such as the financing of terrorism.

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