Man Sentenced to 5 Years Following Guilty Plea to Possessing More Than 800g of Cocaine, Felony Amount of Marijuana, Firearm With Extended Magazine in 2024

NORFOLK, Va. — Yadiel Jose Cortes-Landro, 22, pleaded guilty on Monday to possessing Schedule II drugs with the intent to distribute, possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm while possessing Schedule II drugs after police found more than 800 grams of cocaine, five pounds of marijuana, packaging materials, and tens of thousands of dollars in cash at Mr. Cortes-Landro’s residence.

The Norfolk Police had received information that Mr. Cortes-Landro was involved in selling illegal drugs and, after learning where he lived, investigators observed the comings and goings at his residence for several months in 2024. The police obtained a search warrant for Mr. Cortes-Landro’s residence and served that warrant on Sept. 25, seizing more than 800 grams of packaged powder cocaine, five pounds of marijuana, packaging materials for those drugs, $62,622 in cash, and a handgun with an extended magazine. Mr. Cortes-Landro was in the residence at the time of the search and was arrested on multiple felony charges in connection to the drugs and gun.

On Monday, Mr. Cortes-Landro entered an agreement to plead guilty to possessing Schedule II drugs with the intent to distribute, possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm while possessing Schedule II drugs. Mr. Cortes-Landro agreed to serve five years in prison, with another nine years suspended on the conditions that he remain of uniform good behavior while in custody and for 10 years following his release. Judge Jamilah D. LeCruise accepted Mr. Cortes-Landro’s plea agreement and sentenced him per the agreement.

“There are people who sell small quantities of drugs to support their own addictions, and then there are people like Mr. Cortes-Landro, who are possessing and selling significant quantities of drugs — nearly a kilogram of cocaine here — while possessing guns and large amounts of cash,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “The drug laws exist for us to focus on crimes like Mr. Cortes-Landro’s, where a single individual is responsible for an outsized amount of dangerous drugs entering our community. In my office, we will continue to offer treatment, diversion, reductions, and alternatives to people who suffer from substance-use disorder while also seeking accountability for the people who make large profits off of the misery and self-harm of others and escalate the danger of the drug trade by possessing guns. That is what it means to be smart on crime.”

Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Stephanie G. Johnson prosecuted Mr. Cortes-Landro’s case, and Norfolk Master Police Officer Romel Ruiz led the investigation.

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