Baseball agent, trainer sentenced on Cuban smuggling convictions

This-Feb.-1,-2017-photo-shows-sports-agent-Bartolo-Hernandez-leaving-federal-court-in-Miami.-Two-Cuban-baseball-players-told-a-federal-jury,-Tuesday,-Feb.-14,-2017,-they-paid-tens-of-thousands-of-dollars-from-signing-bonuses-with-Major-League-Baseball-teams-to-a-smuggling-network-that-prosecutors-say-was-overseen-by-a-Florida-sports-agent-and-his-associate.-The-two-testified-in-the-alien-smuggling-and-conspiracy-trial-of-agent-Bartolo-Hernandez-and-trainer-Julio-Estrada,-who-contend-their-business-was-legitimate.-(Lynne-Sladky/AP)

This Feb. 1, 2017 photo shows sports agent Bartolo Hernandez leaving federal court in Miami. (Lynne Sladky/AP)

MIAMI — A sports agent and a baseball trainer convicted of illegally smuggling Cuban players into the U.S. have been sentenced to prison.

A Miami federal judge on Thursday sentenced agent Bartolo Hernandez to just under four years behind bars and trainer Julio Estrada to a little more than five years. Prosecutors had sought more lengthy sentences for what they called a sophisticated and violent scheme.

Hernandez and Estrada were convicted by a jury in March after a six-week trial.

Trial evidence showed the pair ran an international operation to smuggle Cuban players off the communist-run island in return for a cut of lucrative baseball contracts. The players include Jose Abreu of the Chicago White Sox, Adeiny Hechavarria of the Tampa Bay Rays and Leonys Martin of the Chicago Cubs.

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