Cocaine captains pleads guilty

Jan 6, 2014 by Guest Writer

Capt. Jonathan Costenbader, the 34-year-old yacht captain who was arrested in early October in West Palm Beach carrying duffel bags of cocaine off the yacht under his command, has pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiring to import cocaine, according to news reports.



Prosecutors said he was paid more than a million dollars to make five trips this summer between the Bahamas and South Florida.



His girlfriend and the man to whom Costenbader delivered fake drugs after his arrest also pleaded guilty to related conspiracy charges. They are scheduled for sentencing Feb. 21.



The 106-foot Lazzara M/Y Secret Spot remains in the custody of its owner, who prosecutors did not implicate in the smuggling.

Topics: