A California man has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for trafficking cocaine through Northern Indiana.

Antonio Curiel, 44, of San Ysidro, California, received a 108-month prison term followed by four years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine.

Court documents state that in March 2024, Curiel was stopped by law enforcement in Northern Indiana while transporting more than 18 kilograms of cocaine from California to the East Coast. He admitted he was being paid to transport the drugs and acknowledged it wasn’t his first trip.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and its North Central Laboratory, with help from the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office.