Trucking company vice president admits to using big rigs for cocaine trafficking

A trucking company executive is facing up to life in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to drug trafficking.

On May 24, 2023, Guillaume Latour-Laitre, 26, of Quebec, pleaded guilty to to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.

Authorities describe the cocaine distribution scheme involving the trucking company Latour-Laitre worked for:

“Latour-Laitre admitted that from November 2019 through December 7, 2019, as vice president of a commercial trucking company in Quebec, he trafficked cocaine from the United States to Canada via tractor trailer. On December 7, 2019, Latour-Laitre’s co-conspirator and employee at the trucking company, Jason Nelson, attempted to leave the United States for Canada at the Derby Line, Vermont Port of Entry. At the border, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers performed an outbound inspection on Nelson’s tractor trailer and discovered approximately 142 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a secret compartment in the trailer.“

Nelson was sentenced to 72 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release.

Latour-Laitre faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison, a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life, and a maximum fine of $10 million. His sentencing is scheduled for October 12, 2023.