Opinion ID: 596393
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Reed's Involvement

Text: 13 In 1978 Lehder asked Reed, a pilot, to smuggle drugs from Colombia into the United States, via Norman's Cay. Reed made at least ten such trips during 1978. Between 1978 and 1979, Reed ascended to a leadership role within the Lehder enterprise, directing other members' activities and coordinating the operation on Norman's Cay. In September 1979, the activities of the conspiracy were interrupted due to a Bahamanian police raid of Norman's Cay. Lehder was arrested during the raid, but Reed, who had been warned in advance, was not on the island when the police arrived. Pursuant to a search warrant, the police confiscated guns, ammunition and dynamite from Reed's residence on the island. The degree of Reed's involvement following his return to Norman's Cay in the fall of 1980 is unclear. 14 In September 1981, Reed moved to Colombia and later moved to a remote area of Panama. In September of 1986, a confidential government informant, James Torres (Torres), traveled to Panama to discuss with Reed the distribution of cocaine through Arizona. During Torres' visit, Reed extensively discussed his association with Lehder. Forty days after Torres' departure, Reed contacted Torres in Arizona. Torres returned to Panama and discussed delivery of cocaine into the United States with Reed and two other men. One of these men, Gonzalo Mejia (Mejia), asked Torres to provide ground crews to offload planes in the United States and to locate places to store the cocaine. Reed was to receive payment based on the number of kilograms handled by Torres.