A former professional soccer referee from Ecuador was sentenced to 30 months in prison today for smuggling more than 13 and half pounds of heroin through JFK Airport.
After retiring from sports officiating, Byron Moreno made a successful career for himself as a soccer commentator on television and radio channels in Ecuador and was a nationally-recognized figure there.
But a change in his personal circumstances became the motivating force that propelled Moreno to take a gamble – trying to smuggle drugs past Customs inspectors at JFK.
“He was in debt. Personal debt. He was just in over his head, and he made a very foolish choice. And now he’s going to pay for it,” his defense attorney, Michael Padden, said after the hearing in Brooklyn federal court.
Before launching his television career, Moreno was a high-profile referee in the world of Latin American professional soccer.
One of the more controversial calls in his officiating career came during the 2002 FIFA World Cup soccer championships.
During a tense game between Italy and South Korea, Moreno ejected star striker Francesco Totti, giving the Italian a second yellow card for allegedly diving in the penalty area.
The disputed call came 13 minutes into overtime in the World Cup’s second round and enraged Italian fans, who blamed Moreno for their team’s failure to achieve the soccer world’s ultimate victory.
Later as a respected sports commentator on the Ecuadorian airwaves, Moreno established a comfortable life in the port city of Guayaquil.
Moreno’s arrest in New York came after he stepped off a flight from Ecuador and US Customs inspectors noticed that he appeared “visibly nervous” during routine questioning at the airport, investigators say.
An inspector felt “hard objects on [Moreno’s] stomach, back and both of his legs,” with a later strip search revealing the lumps were 10 clear plastic bags strapped to his body, according to a report filed by a US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agent.
Moreno, who is 41, later pleaded guilty, and today apologized to Judge Edward Korman, saying that the incident “caused great pain for me.”
“I’m sorry from the bottom of my heart. I’m very sorry,” Moreno said.
Assistant Brooklyn US Attorney Richard Tucker told the judge that smuggling scheme was “a very serious case,” but also noted that Moreno has suffered from considerable personal tragedy.
Moreno’s first child died as an infant. Then his girlfriend lost two pregnancies through miscarriages, his attorney said – one since his arrest.
Under federal sentencing guidelines, Moreno faced 41-51 months in prison, but the judge gave him a lesser sentence given the totality of the circumstances.
“He’s extremely ashamed, extremely humiliated,” Padden said of his client.
mmaddux@nypost.com