U.S. District Judge Harvey Schlesinger has sentenced Yaquasia Delcarmen, 28, of Jacksonville, to eight years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The court also ordered Delcarmen to forfeit $1,760,210, the proceeds from her involvement in the drug trafficking operation. Delcarmen pleaded guilty on June 27, 2024.
Court documents reveal that from October 2022 until her arrest in April 2024, Delcarmen acted as a manager and supervisor for an armed drug trafficking organization (DTO) led by her boyfriend, Nathaniel Hatcher, III. The DTO obtained marijuana from grow operations in northern California, which was smuggled back to Jacksonville in suitcases via commercial flights. Once in Jacksonville, Delcarmen and her co-conspirators distributed the drugs from various short-term rental homes in the Riverside and San Marco neighborhoods.
Delcarmen’s responsibilities included collecting the proceeds from drug sales and laundering the money into accounts controlled by her and Hatcher. The couple used sham business accounts for this purpose and spent the illicit funds on luxury vehicles, rental homes, and vacations to destinations like Miami, Hawaii, and California.
Following Hatcher’s arrest in February 2024, Delcarmen continued to manage the drug trafficking operation on his behalf while he was incarcerated. She also attempted to obstruct the investigation by publicly posting the identity of a witness to intimidate them. Delcarmen violated her bond conditions over 1,000 times by maintaining contact with Hatcher, despite being prohibited from doing so.
Delcarmen’s co-conspirators have also pleaded guilty to various charges related to the drug operation. Desmond Maxwell faces up to 25 years for straw-purchasing firearms; Al’Donta Easterling faces 10 years to life for marijuana distribution and firearm possession; James Toney faces a minimum of 15 years for conspiracy and a drive-by shooting. Hatcher is set for trial next year.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, which brings together federal, state, and local agencies to dismantle high-level criminal organizations. The case was investigated by several agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Aakash Singh and Kirwinn Mike.
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