Twelve defendants in a South Florida hydroponic marijuana grow-house network were sentenced before US District Judge K. Michael Moore, federal prosecutors in Miami announced on 23 May 2013.[1] Derrick Santiesteban received life in prison for drug trafficking, money laundering and kidnapping with death resulting; Juan Felipe Castaneda got 360 months and Alexander Santiesteban 262 months for marijuana and money-laundering conspiracies, with the remaining nine defendants receiving terms from 37 months to 144 months.[1]
According to court documents, the organisation ran an extensive network of hydroponic grow houses across South Florida.[1] After a large quantity of its marijuana was stolen in 2009, members hunted for those responsible, and on 28 June 2009 Derrick Santiesteban, Gilberto Santiesteban Jr., Norge Manduley and Juan Felipe Castaneda kidnapped the man they blamed; he was shot and killed during the abduction.[1] The family had run grow houses in the Miami area since 2004, using caretakers to mind more than 1,000 plants worth millions of dollars, with titles held through lesser-known collaborators.[2]
Manduley alone went to trial: the jury acquitted him of the murder and kidnapping but convicted him of conspiring to possess less than 100 marijuana plants with intent to distribute, after defence witnesses disputed government testimony naming him as the shooter.[2]
