Alleged Sinaloa Cartel member accused in a Miami area murder headed to federal prison
A woman accused of being a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel — and behind a murder near Miami International Airport in 2022 — was sentenced to nine years in federal prison Thursday in connection to a methamphetamine trafficking case.
After pleading guilty, Tsvia Kol, 36, will spend almost a decade locked up. Once released, she will be required to report to a probation officer for five years, surrender to immigration for removal and seek substance abuse treatment, U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal ruled in his Fort Lauderdale courtroom.
Kol was indicted in the drug case 21 days before the shooting death of 46-year-old Julio Gonzalez, court records show. She was detained two days after the Nov. 29, 2022 murder.
READ MORE: In 2022, a man was killed in Miami area hotel. Police believe Sinaloa Cartel involved
Kol lured Gonzalez to room 304 of the Aladdin Hotel, 901 S. Royal Poinciana Blvd, in Miami Springs, Miami-Dade police allege. Then, she and 36-year-old Jimmy Sanchez shot the South Florida man in the head, according to an arrest warrant.
Though Kol is mentioned in the warrant, she hasn’t been charged in connection to the killing, according to court records. It’s unclear why.
Authorities also say Kol was married to a high-ranking cartel member. The cartel, formerly led by drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, is an international organized crime syndicate focused on drug trafficking and money laundering.
Prior to her arrest in the federal case, Kol admitted to her involvement in the cartel and agreed to stop trafficking drugs and cooperate with federal agents, according to court records. She was detained after being dropped as an informant, with prosecutors arguing that the Israeli national would flee the country. Israel doesn’t extradite their citizens.
Kol, described by a judge as having a “long-standing and serious dependence on meth,” previously had her sentencing postponed due to defense attorneys aiming to “resolve an unrelated matter that could have a significant effect” on the case, records indicate.
‘A tough case’
Prosecutors on Thursday agreed to reduce her sentencing threshold to anywhere from nine to 11 years. Kol was facing the possibility of spending life in prison at the time she plead guilty.
The murder case wasn’t directly mentioned during the sentencing, though it was seemingly alluded to — and possibly discussed during a sidebar that both parties agreed to have sealed.
Singhal, before imposing the sentence, said he was “concerned” by a series of paragraph in Kol’s presentencing investigation report. He didn’t read them in open court, and the record isn’t accessible to the public.
“This is a tough case,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Comolli said. “The nature and circumstances of this offense are very serious...”
Kol, Comolli added, intended to “flood” South Florida with methamphetamine. She added that nine years is a “substantial” amount of time for someone who has never been to prison. It also grants Kol the opportunity to seek substance abuse treatment.
Defense attorney Jason Kreiss said the sentence was “reasonable but not greater than necessary.” He announced he didn’t have further arguments due to the “nature” of the situation.
Kreiss also noted he has been in regular contact with Kol’s family, and in a “different scenario” would have called them up to testify during the proceeding.
When asked by Singhal if she wanted to address the court, Kol, dressed in a blue jail jumpsuit, replied “No, your Honor.” Instead, Kreiss spoke for Kol, and said she wanted to express remorse and take responsibility for her actions.
He also requested that Singhal send Kol to a prison close to South Florida — mentioning the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee — to allow visitation from her family.
“She’s just asking the court for mercy...” Kreiss said.
Throughout the sentencing, Kol frequently turned to her family, who was sitting behind her in the gallery. Her chains rattled as she blew kisses.
