Filipino pleads guilty to bringing 430 pounds of cocaine on tanker to LA

LOS ANGELES (KESQ) - A Philippine national pleaded guilty today in downtown Los Angeles to bringing 430 pounds of cocaine on an oil tanker inbound from Ecuador to El Segundo earlier this year.

Ceasar Tubay Gelacio, Jr., 43, of the Philippines, pleaded guilty to one federal count of knowingly bringing cocaine on a vessel arriving in the United States.

According to his plea agreement, Gelacio was a seaman on the Aquatravesia, an oil tanker that was scheduled to arrive in El Segundo. While at port in Ecuador, Gelacio agreed with an unknown person using the moniker "Luis" to possess and conceal more than 11 pounds of cocaine on the vessel.

Gelacio concealed 430 pounds of cocaine in the vessel's garbage space and in his room aboard the vessel, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.   

On May 21, the Aquatravesia traveled near the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. When it arrived in U.S. territory, Gelacio knew the cocaine remained on the vessel, according to his plea agreement.

On that day, law enforcement recovered cocaine concealed in trash bags in the vessel's garbage space area. According to court documents, the vessel's crew had discovered the cocaine and alerted the ship's captain, who later discovered Gelacio possessed the drugs. The captain then secured the cocaine and notified law enforcement.   

U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson scheduled an Oct. 19 sentencing hearing, at which time Gelacio will face between 10 years and life imprisonment, prosecutors noted.