San Onofre

A decorated Army veteran convicted of possessing 477 pounds of cocaine was sentenced Monday to 15 years in federal prison.

U.S. District Judge Howard Turrentine sentenced Jose Leon-Figueroa, 40, of Lennox, Calif., who was arrested Aug. 7 at the Border Patrol checkpoint near San Onofre.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Elizabeth Hartwig asked the judge to sentence Leon to the 20-year maximum, while defense attorney Charles McCutcheon suggested that a term of 7 to 10 years was more appropriate.

The seizure was the largest ever made at that time at the Border Patrol station. It was estimated that the cocaine was worth $20 million. The drug was found inside four suitcases, which were covered by a tarp and a blanket.

A jury convicted Leon of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute after deliberating for 20 minutes on Nov. 13.

A co-defendant who was riding in the same truck, Lucia Canales-Aparicio, 21, also from Lennox, pleaded guilty to making false statements to a federal agent and was sentenced to 130 days in prison and given three years’ probation.