SFO drug smuggling scheme lands East Bay man in federal prison for 10 years
SAN FRANCISCO -- A 43-year-old Hayward man, who attempted to evade sentencing by boarding a freighter destined for Haiti, will be spending 10 years in federal prison for his role in a scheme to smuggle drugs through San Francisco International Airport.
Lemack Bellot was convicted of drug smuggling charges on March 4 after a week-long trial.
At trial, federal prosecutors presented evidence that Bellot attempted to facilitate the smuggling of cocaine through SFO in May 2018 and in November 2018.
Unbeknown to Bellot, the shipments were not actually cocaine because he was negotiating with a confidential source working for the DEA.
Drug agents were investigating Bellot based on information that he had been paying airport employees to allow drugs to be smuggled past airport security.
The confidential source, posing as an Atlanta-based drug trafficker, met with Bellot at a bar in Hayward where the two discussed using Bellot's connections at the airports to smuggle drugs.
Over the next eight months, Bellot made arrangements on six occasions in an attempt to assist the confidential source in drug smuggling operations.
In February 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Bellot for attempting to aid and abet the possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and other drug trafficking charges.
Shortly before his originally scheduled sentencing in July 2022, Bellot attempted to flee the United States. He boarded a commercial cargo freighter that was leaving from Miami and was bound for Haiti. The U.S. Coast Guard learned of Bellot's plans and he was arrested aboard the vessel.
