FORT PIERCE, FL — “The Don Corleone of the Port St. Lucie marijuana grow house operations” was sentenced Wednesday morning to 45 years in prison.
Roberto Alberto Cepero, 48, of Port St. Lucie, stood quietly, his head bowed slightly, as Circuit Judge Larry Schack sentenced him to 30 years in prison for conspiracy to traffic in marijuana, 30 years for trafficking in more than 25 pounds of marijuana and 15 years for racketeering. Schack allowed the two 30-year terms to be served concurrently, but ordered the 15-year term to be served consecutively, making a total of 45 years behind bars.
Sonia Del Risco Polls, 42, Cepero’s girlfriend, was sentenced to a total of seven years in prison: five for manufacture of marijuana and two for conspiracy to manufacture marijuana.
A jury found the couple guilty of the charges Oct. 1. Polls was acquitted of a racketeering charge.
Authorities alleged Cepero oversaw an extensive marijuana growing business and that Polls was responsible for teaching “farmers” at several grow houses Cepero controlled how to cultivate marijuana.
The case began after officers from numerous local and state agencies raided several Port St. Lucie grow houses and found plants being cultivated under meticulous conditions in brightly lit, climate controlled rooms that had been sealed tight to avoid detection.
“There’s no question this was a serious operation,” said Schack, who presided over the two-week trial.
Noting that Cepero had organized a structure to minimize the risk of detection and used threats and violence to keep underlings in line, Schack called him “the Don Corleone of the Port St. Lucie marijuana grow house operations,” a reference to the head of the organized crime family in “The Godfather” books and movies.
Cepero did not address the court; but Polls testified she had “found God” in the two years since her arrest, asking for mercy and a sentence of probation rather than incarceration.
“If you see this face again in trouble with the law,” she told Schack, “never let me out; you can give me life (in prison).”
Authorities had alleged that Cepero used his family’s construction business, Global Homes Inc., as a front for the marijuana operation. Both he and Polls also had been charged with mortgage fraud in connection with buying one of the grow houses, but the charges were dropped.
