Mableton Man Smuggled Coke In Kids' Toys, Powdered Milk

ATLANTA -- A Mabelton, Georgia, man, the last of three defendants operating a cocaine smuggling and money-laundering ring, has been sentenced to federal prison. Marlon Matthew Pittman, 45, was sentenced Tuesday to 17 years in prison, followed by eight years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit the residence he purchased with drug money.

Pittman, along with Vladimir Collazo-Florido, 44, and Carlos Gonzalez-Catala, 42, both of Puerto Rico, shipped the drugs from Puerto Rico to Atlanta through U.S. mail hidden inside children’s toys and cans of powdered milk, and laundered their drug money using a car rental company and an elaborate scheme involving hundreds of money orders. All three men had prior federal drug trafficking convictions. Pittman attempted to flee the country while awaiting trial but was arrested trying to board a flight to Ethiopia using a fake identity.

The investigation began when federal agents noticed suspicious financial activity by an Atlanta-based car rental business and an unusual pattern of money order purchases dating back to 2012. They began a series of wiretaps on cell phones used by Pittman, who owned the car rental business, and members of the operation.

Collazo-Florido and Gonzalez-Catala pleaded guilty first, with Collazo-Florido ordered to forfeit $1,000,000 as part of his sentence. While Pittman was awaiting trial, he was caught as he was passing through a TSA checkpoint at an airport to board a flight overseas, using an international travel document in a fake name he obtained by bribing foreign government officials. He also had in his possession 11 pounds of MDMA tablets hidden inside children’s Flinstones vitamins bottles.

Collazo-Florido was sentenced to 11 years and four months in prison, while Gonzalez-Catala has been sentenced to three years and three months in prison.