Tampa Bay briefs

By Times staff reports
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 18, 2002

Colombian boat captain guilty of cocaine smuggling charges

TAMPA -- A boat captain who tried to smuggle two tons of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico was found guilty Wednesday of conspiracy and cocaine possession with the intent to distribute.

Wenceslao Cetre, 48, faces 10 years to life in prison, according to federal sentencing guidelines.

In November, Cetre and five other Colombians threw bales of cocaine overboard, set fire to their speedboat and jumped into the ocean when a U.S. Coast Guard vessel approached, according to court documents. The Coast Guard retrieved the men and the cocaine.

The other men with Cetre pleaded guilty before his trial.

The arrests were part of Operation Panama Express, a continuing investigation in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean that has resulted in the confiscation of more than 122 tons of cocaine and about 190 arrests.

Robber guns down man who refused to hand over money

TAMPA -- An unidentified man was shot and killed Wednesday morning after refusing to hand over his money to a robber, Tampa police said.

The victim, thought to be in his 50s, was walking on E Seventh and N Mitchell avenues when the robber approached him from an alley.

The robber first shot the victim in the leg and fired several more times when he tried to flee. The victim died at the scene.

Police would not release the victim's name until next of kin is notified.

No arrests were made Wednesday.

Authorities say arrested man offered to sell child porn videos

TAMPA -- He advertised "hard to find" videos. But authorities said when he tried to deliver on his promise, 71-year-old Eric Stein found himself in jail.

With help from the United States Postal Service, the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office on Tuesday arrested Stein after setting up a meeting to buy child pornography.

Stein was charged with three counts of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of obscene material.

He was released after posting $15,500 bail.

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