Father, Son Sentenced To Federal Prison For Bringing 72 Pounds Of Coke On Private Plane

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) – A father and son were sentenced to five years and four years, respectively, for bringing 72 pounds of cocaine on a private plane last year.

Vincent Salzano, 57, was also fined $5,000 and his son, Armando Salzano, 33 was fined $30,000.

Vincent had previous convictions for cocaine distribution. He pleaded guilty in June to planning to distribute the drugs. The drugs were valued to be worth around $1 million.

"Vincent Salzano made a very bad choice, and will suffer the consequences over the next 5 years," Jim Boren and Marci Blaize, his attorneys, said in a written statement obtained by The Advocate.

"It was a fair sentence based on Armando's otherwise sterling record and incredible family support," John DiGiulio, Armando's attorney, added in the statement.

According to federal agents, Vincent picked up the cocaine in McAllen, Texas, along the United States-Mexico border, reboarded the plane, and was in the process of transporting the drugs to Atlanta when he was stopped in Baton Rouge.

Agents were alerted due to the plane's suspicious flight plan.

According to court documents, agents found about 30 packaged bundles of cocaine weighing roughly 33 kilograms among luggage belonging to the Salzanos.

Vincent took sole responsibility of the drugs, telling the agents his son had no knowledge of them.

He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute. Armando pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute.