Famed soccer ref pleads guilty in heroin bust
A well-known one-time World Cup soccer referee pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in Brooklyn to attempting to bring 6 kilograms of heroin into the United States through Kennedy Airport in September.
Ecuadorean referee Byron Moreno Ruales, 41, was known in international soccer circles for his no-nonsense approach. He is remembered for a series of controversial calls that paved the way for South Korea's victory over Italy in a 2002 World Cup match.
He faces a statutory maximum of 20 years, and federal guidelines call for a sentence of 51 to 63 months in prison, prosecutors said.
No date for sentencing has been set.
Hofstra students weigh in on possible faculty strike ... Blakeman to make ICE announcement ... Back-to-school shopping ... Belmont Park reopening
Hofstra students weigh in on possible faculty strike ... Blakeman to make ICE announcement ... Back-to-school shopping ... Belmont Park reopening
