On Sept. 16, Hubert Ramon Santiesteban, 55, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and attempt to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
According to the court record, Santiesteban, of Sebring, Fla., negotiated the purchase of 30 kilograms of cocaine. In April of 2023, Highlands County Sheriff’s Office detectives witnessed Santiesteban and his co-conspirator prepare for the transaction at Santiesteban’s residence. Santiesteban and his co-conspirator then showed the undercover members of law enforcement, in a video and during a FaceTime call, large amounts of U.S. currency that they planned to use to purchase the cocaine. Highlands County Sheriff’s deputies searched Santiesteban’s residence and property and located $418,000 hidden in a van on the property.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 12, before U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon. Santiesteban faces up to life in federal prison, and up to a lifetime of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Markenzy Lapointe, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division; and Paul Blackman, Highlands County Sheriff, made the announcement.
DEA Miami Field Division and Highlands County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hudock is prosecuting it.Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case no. 24-cr-14034.
