MIAMI — Two individuals associated with a drug trafficking organization have entered guilty pleas in federal court regarding charges related to a drug-related murder that occurred in Miami in 2022, as announced by authorities.
Tsvia Kol, 37, from Hallandale, Florida, and Jimmy Sanchez, 37, from Spring Valley, California, acknowledged their involvement in the murder of a man they believed had stolen a package containing nearly 11 pounds of methamphetamine valued at approximately $90,000. Both individuals are facing a potential sentence of life imprisonment.
Court documents indicate that the murder took place after a shipment of methamphetamine was reported missing. Investigators revealed that Kol and Sanchez suspected the victim of having taken the drugs and arranged to confront him in a hotel room in Miami as an act of retaliation.
Upon entering the room, Kol provided Sanchez with a firearm, according to prosecutors. The victim attempted to call 911 to report his location, but the audio from the call recorded a struggle followed by gunfire. Sanchez later confessed to shooting and killing the victim. The suspects fled the hotel, leaving the body behind, which was discovered the next morning.
Hotel surveillance video showed Kol and Sanchez leaving the property shortly after the shooting, authorities said.
As part of their plea agreements, both defendants admitted they participated in the murder and in distributing nearly 11 pounds of methamphetamine. Their sentencing hearings are scheduled for later this year.
“This was a cold-blooded murder driven by the drug trade,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Our office will use every federal tool available to dismantle these organizations and hold accountable anyone who chooses violence as a means of doing business.”
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva said the case highlights the connection between narcotics trafficking and violence.
“When they thought the victim stole their product, they killed him in cold blood,” Duva said. “We will continue prosecuting serious drug crimes to protect the public from the grave consequences that occur like they did here.”
Kol and Sanchez remain in custody awaiting sentencing, where each could receive a life sentence.
