Man Gets 3 Years in Prison for Smuggling Cigars

In a world that lives in fear of terrorism, and the threat that 'illegal' drugs smuggled into the country poses. It is nice to know that our fine law enforcement teams have the time to go after the evil cigar smugglers...


Original news source:

ABCNEWS.com

A lawyer was sentenced Wednesday to more than three years in federal prison for smuggling thousands of fine Cuban cigars into this country and selling them for a fat profit.

Richard "Mick" Connors, 54, was also fined $60,000 and placed on three years' probation.

U.S. District Judge Ronald A. Guzman ordered Connors taken into custody immediately, despite a request that he be allowed to attend his daughter's wedding later this month. The judge said the former public defender is too familiar with ways to flee the country.

Please visit the above original source link for the full report in much greater detail.

3 years in prison for cigars? is that not a bit extreme?

I guess cigars are more harmful than say Cocaine, Marijuana, and Heroin.

What makes these Cuban cigars so dangerous? can they explode when you smoke them? are they super addictive? what is the real threat?



[edit on 9-6-2004 by UM_Gazz]

The judicial system of this country sure has it's priorities in order. 3 years! I think rapists get less time then that.

Thats gotta be the dumbest thing I have ever heard. I suppose the American government would rather smuggling coc aine fron Columbia, just because they don't like Cuba.

The article says he got three years PROBATION not prison in one sentence and Prison in another sentence.

From the sound of the Judge's order he be put in custody immediately it sounds as though he is going to the big house.

$400.00 a box for Cubanos?! Man I wish I would've know that dude! I'd have bought all of them he had!

m...

[edit on 6-9-2004 by Springer]

Yeah.. The AP headline is...

"CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- A lawyer was sentenced Wednesday to more than three years in federal prison for smuggling thousands of fine Cuban cigars into this country and selling them for a fat profit."

You aren't taken into immediate custody for fear of leaving the country if you are going on 3 years probation. This embargo is one of the most idiotic things our country has ever done. Perhaps not initially but to continue it is just stupid. Pure and simple. Especially with how we treat China.

I'm a Romeo y Julieta man myself.

Sometimes though you just have to take that Carribean Cruise and stock up.

The continuation of the embargo is pretty much in direct correlation to Castro's life. It's over when he dies.

Too bad Canada will own everything in Cuba by then.

Well, with a full trade embargo against Cuba, and a ban on American citizens from visiting the country (All American laws, No Cuban laws) anything Cuban is worse then the Devil himself. Besides, as good as Cuban cigars are, Venezualian cigars are much better.

"Connors was convicted in 2002 of smuggling, trading with the enemy, conspiracy and lying to a passport officer."

It wasn't because he had cigars per-say. It was the trading with the enemy (Cuba), thats only a little short of treason. He would have had to lied and said "I was in Canada the entire trip" when he was going back home. Monthly trips...how do they know he's not spying for the Cubans?


I think most boxs have 25 cigars. 1150 cigars is about 46 boxes. Upto $400 would have been $18,400 worth of unclaimed cigars.

I know a lawyer that I used to work for that get the Cubans cigar all the time he only give them away to selected clients and brags about it too.


by zero_snaz
I think most boxs have 25 cigars. 1150 cigars is about 46 boxes. Upto $400 would have been $18,400 worth of unclaimed cigars

Thats the reason he got arrested.

Originally posted by RANT
I'm a Romeo y Julieta man myself.

All of your insights have now been rendered worthless in my respect for you; you've trumped that & are a fine man and an evolved human being for smoking my 2nd favorite Cuban in Churchill size!!

First would be the Bolivar Churchill.

I highly recommend: Puro Indios and Arturo Fuente's Double Chateau Fuente - as good or better they both are, over Los Cubanos.

'Scuse me, I got a lovely blackie waiting for me............a Partagas Maduro!

For those of you who feel free enough to admit to consuming illegal Cuban Cigars I would like to remind you that this is a public forum and there is a very good chance that the Feds are watching this thread in vast numbers. You can expect a raid on your homes at any moment involving hundreds of officers and DEA agents to bust through your doors and windows arms drawn!

You have been warned!

Gazz

Originally posted by UM_Gazz
For those of you who feel free enough to admit to consuming illegal Cuban Cigars I would like to remind you that this is a public forum and there is a very good chance that the Feds are watching this thread in vast numbers. You can expect a raid on your homes at any moment involving hundreds of officers and DEA agents to bust through your doors and windows arms drawn!

You have been warned!

Gazz

I live in Canada they are legal. MMM Cohiba

That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Smuggling cigars? In the world we live in they are worried about smuggling cigars... I don't have any words to explain how moronic I think that is.

That reminds me of this one guy who was giving a testimony about his life in prison and commented on a man that was in prison for 5 years for stealing a pizza. The man had been commiting petty theft since he was about 18 and his final theft was the pizza. Pretty lame if you ask me, but whatever. Also, another thing wrong with the judicial system is Double Jeopardy. You can kill a women, be found guilty, and then go around saying you killed her because you can't be tried twice. (O.J. Simpson come to mind anyone?)

Originally posted by Bout Time
you've trumped that & are a fine man and an evolved human being for smoking my 2nd favorite Cuban in Churchill size!!

First would be the Bolivar Churchill.

I highly recommend: Puro Indios and Arturo Fuente's Double Chateau Fuente - as good or better they both are, over Los Cubanos.

'Scuse me, I got a lovely blackie waiting for me............a Partagas Maduro!

Heavens to Mergatroid! 'Bout Time and Springer AGREE on something!!!! I must say, sir, your taste in cigars has risen your stock in my heart and mind...

I just finished a wonderful Havana Handrolled Private Label... Ahhh the FINER things in life DO make it worth the struggle do they not?

m...

Last week where I live there was a guy convicted of burning at cat and got 3 years in prison for it . I think they should have just beat him senceless and gave him some time but 3 years of us paying this dirtballs bills is to much. What is really odd is that another court about 30 miles away gave a even bigger dirtball who broke into his ex wifes house and proceded to kick and beat her viciousley in front of her son and he got 1 year probation. This guy started out being charged with 2 or 3 felonies and got probation.That is justice now in this country and that is how they make it look like the crime rate is dropping.

The idiot burnt a cat. Why???

The laws in the UK are just as ludicrous, as this recent article proves ...

SMIRKING killer driver William Tait faces just a fine for mowing down a pensioner � but could be jailed for crashing into a TREE.

Tait, 34, callously left Harry Thompson, 74, dying in the street after knocking him down on a pedestrian crossing.

He sped away but lost control of his car and slammed into a tree.

Prosecutors decided that at the time Tait hit Harry he was only driving carelessly � and there is no offence of causing death by careless driving.

The toughest penalty he can get for killing Harry is a �2,500 fine for driving without due care and attention.

But when he hit the tree it was deemed to be DANGEROUS driving � with a possible two-year jail term.

www.thesun.co.uk...

Originally posted by hockey_crazy
The idiot burnt a cat. Why???

ROFLMFAO!!!! Noticed you didn't as about the wife. hahaha... whether by accident or design that was funny

Originally posted by Springer
I just finished a wonderful Havana Handrolled Private Label... Ahhh the FINER things in life DO make it worth the struggle do they not?

m...

AMEN!!


I keep telling people I'm a confirmed hedonist trapped in a capitalist's body, but nobody listens!!

Ronaldo Reyes, who make the Puros Indios line, used to have a shop by my place in NJ. I was a regular & one day his nephew give me this baseball bat of a cigar ....about a foot long & I'd guesstimate to be a 67 gauge. It was 15 yrs old!!
First time I ever got buzzed off a cigar!!

I mostly smoke private rolls from this place in Hoboken, NJ. They cater to quite a few of the local pro sport team stars. They've got pure Cuban rolling skill: when you look at the foot of their smokes they've got that perfect center "tunnel". They manage to get a nutty after taste that is awesome with a snifter of Cardinal Mendoza.

The guy was a lawyer. They should have sent him to the chair.

Has nobody noticed that this is actually fraud? The guy was selling the cigars and avoiding tax duties. It's not like the first time he got caught either.