Racing champ fights to stay out of prison

By  Mike Wilson,
Herald Staff Writer

Confident and tough - that was George Morales. Two years ago, he piloted his 46-foot Cougar catamaran from Miami to New York in a record 19 hours, 33 minutes. Then he climbed out of the boat and said: "I knew I was going to do it."

Morales will take on an even bigger challenge Monday. He will go on trial in federal court in West Palm Beach on charges that he and another man conspired to smuggle 2.640 to 3.300 pounds of cocaine into South Florida early last year.

The defense strategy will be as brash and intriguing as Morales himself. Morales, 37 who owns an Opa-locks aircraft leasing company, maintains in court documents that he provided money and supplies to the contra rebels in Nicaragua-with the approval of the United States government.

He says he didn't know his planes were importing drugs. And he has summoned Vice President George Bush, CIA Director William Casey, Secretary of State George Shultz and others to back up his story. It is unlikely they will appear.

The trial is expected to last seven to 10 days, but there is a chance it won't be held at all. Morales' lawyers met with Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Karadbil for several hours Friday, apparently to discuss a plea bargain.

But Andrew Hall, one of the defense lawyers, said after the meeting that he was still preparing for a trial. If there is a plea bargain the lawyers will probably propose the terms to U.S. District Judge James C. Paine Monday.

If there is a trial and if the boat racer is acquitted, he still won't be out of hot water. He is also waiting trial on charges that he imported marijuana and methaqualone - Quaaludes - in 1980 and 1981. Morales, of 1420 SW 14th Ave. Fort Lauderdale, was a champion in one of the world's most dangerous sports - speedboat racing. In November 1985, he won his third straight International Motorboating Union world championship in his Cougar Cat. Maggie's Mercruiser Special. Morales missed the 1986 world championships. He was in jail. Winning in court may be more difficult. Morales's latest troubles began on Jan. 2, 1986, according to an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court.

On that day, a Hialeah man Alberto Alem, called an acquaintance Ramon Vargas, and told him that Morales had a "good deal" for him, Drug Enforcement Administration agent Wayne Roques said.

What Alem didn't know was that Vargas was an informant for the DEA.

On Jan. 3, Alem picked up Vargas at the La Carreta Restaurant in Miami and drove him to Morales' home in Fort Lauderdale. There, Roques said, Morales told Vargas he wanted to smuggle between 2.640 and 3.300 pounds of cocaine into the United States.

Vargas agreed to fly three loads of cocaine into the United States - in exchange for payments of $100,000 to $125,000 and $150,000, the agent said.

The next day, Morales, Vargas and met at Opa-locka Airport, Roques said Morales told Vargas to fly a Piper Navaho airplane to Costa Rica and pick up 926 pounds of cocaine, the agent said.

Alem drove Vargas to Tamiami Airport on Jan. 6. Vargas flew to Costa Rica from there, Roques said. He picked up the cocaine and flew it to Grand Harbour Cay.

Ten days later, Bahamian officials seized part of the load - 176 pounds.

Source: The Miami Herald,
Sunday, January 25, 1987