MIAMI - The convicted ringleader of a smuggling organization that brought more than 1,000 Cubans into the U. [url=http://www.metsbaseballauthentic.com/jeurys-familia-mets-jersey/]Je urys Familia Jersey[/url] .S., some of them baseball players including Texas Rangers outfielder Leonys Martin, was sente

MIAMI - The convicted ringleader of a smuggling organization that brought more than 1,000 Cubans into the U. Jeurys Familia Jersey .S., some of them baseball players including Texas Rangers outfielder Leonys Martin, was sentenced Monday to more than 14 years in federal prison.U.S. District Judge Joan Lenard rejected a request for leniency by Eliezer Lazo, whom she noted was paid $22,000 a month through the scheme — not counting the percentages of any professional baseball contracts the players signed. Prosecutors say Martin paid the Lazo group $1.2 million after signing with the Rangers in 2011.Thats a lot of money, Lenard said.Lazo, 41, will begin serving the sentence after finishing an unrelated five-year prison term for money laundering in a Medicare fraud case. In the smuggling case, he pleaded guilty in August to extortion conspiracy.The Lazo organization smuggled Cubans by boat to Mexico for $10,000 each, more for the baseball players, according to court documents. They would then usually travel to the U.S. border crossing at Laredo, Texas, and ask to be permitted to stay in the U.S.Under the U.S. wet foot, dry foot policy, Cubans who reach dry land in the U.S. are generally allowed to remain while those intercepted at sea are returned to the communist island. Lazos attorney, William Clay, said many of Lazos customers were overjoyed to make it to the U.S. despite the costs.They had gotten what they bargained for, Clay said.But Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Davidson said migrants who couldnt pay were held for ransom by armed guards, often threatened and sometimes beaten. Although Lazo himself did not participate in any violence, Davidson said he was well aware it was going on.This man is not a freedom fighter, Davidson said.The case also provided a glimpse into how Mexican drug cartels get their cut of the migrant smuggling business. Court documents show that in the Cancun area, the Zetas cartel charges Cuban smugglers $10,000 per boat and up to $3,000 per migrant to allow them to pass through their territory and assist in paying bribes to local officials.No evidence surfaced in the case that Martin or any of the other valuable Cuban ballplayers were mistreated. Only Martin has been identified by name in the Lazo case, but other Cuban stars such as Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig have also been smuggled through Mexico.Aside from being free from Cuba, baseball players from that country have an incentive to go to a third country such as Mexico before signing MLB contracts. If they came directly to the U.S., they would be subject to the MLB draft and likely sign a less lucrative deal. Going to Mexico first makes them free agents looking for the highest bidder.Martin, a speedy outfielder, signed a five-year, $15.5 million contract with the Rangers in 2011. Last year he batted .274 and stole 31 bases.Clay indicated he may appeal Lazos sentence, calling it unreasonable because Lazo offered to co-operate with investigators before he was indicted and had only a limited role in the extortion. For his part, Lazo apologized for his crimes through a Spanish interpreter.I am very repentant and remorseful for the crimes I have committed, Lazo said. I am so sorry I got involved in these issues._____Follow Curt Anderson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Miamicurt Mike Piazza Jersey .com) - Coming off a pair of tough losses last week, the Syracuse Orange will try to put an end to their first losing skid of the season when they pay a visit to the Maryland Terrapins at the Comcast Center on Monday night in Atlantic Coast Conference action. Tim Tebow Jersey . - IndyCar racing officials expressed confidence on Monday that the NOLA Motorsports Park will be able to complete more $4. http://www.metsbaseballauthentic.com/gary-carter-mets-jersey/ . Louis Cardinals have agreed to a one-year contract.TORONTO -- For the second straight tournament John Isner didnt get to play on centre court. And for the second straight tournament he bowed out in his first match. Isner, the 10th seed at the Rogers Cup, lost to Croatian Ivan Dodig, 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3 on the grandstand court Monday night at Rexall Centre. The match was originally scheduled for the afternoon in the stadium, but a lengthy rain delay wreaked havoc on the days schedule. "Obviously it was not easy," said Dodig, who was playing his first singles match in 10 weeks because of a broken rib. "It was long day for us, and of course changing the court its also a little bit like making you to think about it." Isner, who was not made available to speak to reporters, lost his opening match at last weeks Citi Open to Steve Johnson and told reporters in Washington that he didnt think he "deserved" to play on a secondary court. Storms in the Toronto area caused play to be delayed two hours, and Isner and Dodig didnt get the centre-court spotlight. That went to 13th-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who beat fellow Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin 7-6(3), 6-1. The nightcap on centre court featured Canadian wild card Peter Polansky beating 2013 Wimbledon semifinalist Jerzy Janowicz 7-6(5), 6-4. Polansky, who grew up in nearby Thornhill, Ont., last won a match in Toronto in 2010 when he upset Austrias Jurgen Melzer. He said this felt like a bit of deja vu -- notably because this was by the same score -- but this time the 26-year-old had to bounce back from a challenge on what he thought was match point. "There was a little bit of nerves trying to pull through and hold for the match," Polansky said. "When he hit that forehand wide, I was pretty excited." Polansky will face second-seeded Roger Federer in the second round Tuesday night. He said facing the 17-time Grand Slam champion will probably be one of the highlights of his career. Monday night represented another low light for Isner, who dominated with his big serve but couldnt handle Dodigs throughout the night. Dodig broke the six-foot-ten American in the third set and was able to finish things off from there. "Hes the guy who can beat everybody, and as well a great player for many years," Dodig said of Isner. "You couldd see that there was not so many breaks. Norichika Aoki Jersey. Its tough for both of us, for me to return to him and for him as well. Hes going aggressive and he wasnt missing a lot today." In other night action, American qualifier Michael Russell beat Frances Nicholas Mahut 6-3, 6-3 and Spains Feliciano Lopez beat 14th-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6(7), 3-6. Earlier in the day, Frances Julien Benneteau had little trouble dusting off former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, 6-1, 6-2. Benneteau and Hewitt endured two rain delays, the second of which lasted two hours. "I tried to keep the same momentum and the same rhythm of the match," Benneteau said. "I just tried to stay focused to be able to play the same way." Benneteau was leading 4-1 in the first set when the first brief rain delay occurred. He was up 4-2 in the second when storms moving through the Toronto area halted his and every other match taking place. "The rain delay, its never easy but its for both players," he said. "I had two break points before, 15-40 and then a deuce. So its never easy." Benneteau also said its never easy facing Hewitt, even though the Aussie is 42nd now and 11 years removed from being atop the world rankings. "Hes a great fighter and to beat him you have to play solid," Benneteau said. "You have to do a good match. Its the kind of player that if your level is not good enough, you dont win." To open the tournament on centre court, 15th-seeded Marin Cilic got pushed to the limit before beating Denis Istomin, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5. The Croatian said Istomin was dealing with a shoulder injury that led to some unpredictability. "He had some shots were coming off good, some not, and it was difficult to know what was going to come," Cilic said. "It got a bit complicated." In other early action, Frances Jeremy Chardy beat Argentinas Federico Delbonis, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, French qualifier Benoit Paire defeated Colombian Alejandro Falla, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2, and American qualifier Tim Smyczek downed German qualifier Tobias Kamke, 6-3, 6-2. The Rogers Cup Hall of Fame induction ceremony was also postponed because of the weather. Stefan Edberg and former Rogers Cup Master of Ceremonies Don Goodwin will now be inducted Tuesday night. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '