The judge in the case, Dora Irizarry, referred to Usuga as a dealer "more prolific than Pablo Escobar" before handing down the sentence. Usuga was also ordered to pay $216 million in forfeiture. His defense attorneys had sought a 25-year term, while federal prosecutors argued for 45 years, pointing to the sheer amount of cocaine he trafficked and the cold-blooded killings he ordered.

Usuga David, also known as Otoniel, was the leader of the Clan del Golfo cartel and paramilitary group, which smuggled tons of cocaine into the US. He ran the cartel like a paramilitary force, ordering the assassinations and torture of rival cartel members, suspected traitors, government cooperators, and even law enforcement members. The violence he unleashed included putting bounties on the heads of every police officer in the country, including a $70,000 bounty on a police canine involved in a drug bust. He also had an informant buried alive before beheading him.

Described as the most dangerous drug trafficker in Colombia since Pablo Escobar, Usuga David held immense power and control over vast regions of Colombia. He evaded capture for a decade by corrupting state officials and forming alliances with combatants from different factions. He was finally arrested in 2021 and faced indictments in Manhattan and Miami federal courts before the cases were transferred to Brooklyn.

During the sentencing, Usuga David called for peace in Colombia and apologized to the court, his wife, family, and the governments of the US and Colombia for his actions. However, Judge Irizarry expressed skepticism about letters of support from residents of Colombia, suggesting they may have been written out of fear of retaliation.

Colombian President Ivan Duque had previously dubbed Usuga David as "the most dangerous drug trafficker in the world." The Gulf Clan, also known as the Gaitanist Self Defense Forces of Colombia, which Usuga David led, controlled smuggling routes for drugs, weapons, and migrants. It financed its rule by imposing taxes on cocaine produced, stored, or transported through its territory.

The sentencing of Usuga David sends a message to other paramilitary and cartel leaders that the United States will seek their arrest and extradition to hold them accountable. The human misery caused by his violent reign is immeasurable, and the lengthy sentence aims to deliver appropriate justice.