Sara Wuchevich Young, 34, formerly of Pompano Beach and Fort Lauderdale, has cooperated in ongoing drug investigations involving her ex-husband and was given a reduced sentence by U.S. District Judge Kenneth A. Marra. She faced at least 10 years in prison and has already served two years.As part of an agreement, Young pleaded guilty to conspiring to import cocaine aboard a powerboat called the Le Go II that was outfitted with secret drug compartments and registered in her name. Young kept the drug ledgers for the operation that ran three 740-kilogram boatloads of Colombian cocaine from the island of Saint Vincent to South Florida until 2001 when federal agents intercepted the third shipment. The case was delayed in part because of ongoing investigations.Young also hired a crew for the boat through Fort Lauderdale-based Crewfinders International. Prosecutors acknowledged that she was never aboard the boat during the smuggling operations."She was basically a secretary," said defense attorney Ana Davide, arguing that Young played only a minor role and lived in fear of her controlling ex-husband, who she said directed the operation.But Marra didn't reduce her sentence on that basis.At 25, Young, who grew up in Pompano Beach, was a struggling single mom working minimum wage jobs in Fort Lauderdale when she met Robert "Bobby" Young, then a convicted murderer, kidnapper and trafficker about 30 years her senior."I was very young when I met Bobby and he put stars in my eyes," said Young, her voice straining to control emotion as she read her statement to the judge before sentencing. "I was a struggling single mom and he promised me the world."
Robert Young is best known for his role in the execution-style murder of the legendary powerboat king, Don Aronow. In 1995, Robert Young pleaded no contest to the $60,000 hit job on Aronow and was sentenced to 19 years in a deal that spared him life in prison.Federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents said Robert Young contracted with Rodgrigo Chegwin-Vergara, who brokered shipments for Colombian cartels, to bring six boat-loads of cocaine into South Florida. In return, Robert Young received about one-third of each load to sell. Prosecutors said Robert Young made about $2,000 on each kilo he shipped.
Prosecutors said the cocaine was hidden in secret compartments built into the boat. Once in South Florida, the cocaine was transported in large blue plastic containers and cash was delivered in 5-gallon plastic paint buckets.
Robert Young is best known for his role in the execution-style murder of the legendary powerboat king, Don Aronow. In 1995, Robert Young pleaded no contest to the $60,000 hit job on Aronow and was sentenced to 19 years in a deal that spared him life in prison.Federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents said Robert Young contracted with Rodgrigo Chegwin-Vergara, who brokered shipments for Colombian cartels, to bring six boat-loads of cocaine into South Florida. In return, Robert Young received about one-third of each load to sell. Prosecutors said Robert Young made about $2,000 on each kilo he shipped.
Prosecutors said the cocaine was hidden in secret compartments built into the boat. Once in South Florida, the cocaine was transported in large blue plastic containers and cash was delivered in 5-gallon plastic paint buckets.
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