SYRACUSE, N.Y. – A second Cornwall man has received a life sentence for his part in a multi-million dollar drug smuggling operation.
Gaetan “Gates” Dinelle, 42, was sentenced Thursday in a U.S. federal court for his role in an international marijuana operation.
Dinelle, along with Michael “Mickey” Woods, were convicted last summer of running the ongoing criminal enterprise, which saw millions of dollars in pot shipped across the Eastern and Midwest United States from Cornwall.
Woods also received a life sentence last week.
“Gaetan Dinelle supervised a massive drug trafficking organization and, like his boss, Mickey Woods, was sentenced accordingly,” U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian told WWNY-TV.
“Our resolve to bring cross-border criminals to justice is reflected in this lengthy and successful case, which is the product of great cooperation between agencies on both sides of the border.”
Evidence during the trial showed roughly 22,000 pounds of marijuana was shipped with a value of approximately $47 million.
The case saw the extradition of 15 people, including Woods and Dinelle – one of the largest uses of the extradition process between Canada and the United States in a single case.