Leandro Joel Caminero
Leandro Joel Caminero is the former Tampa Bay Rays minor leaguer that got sentenced today after getting caught smuggling heroin earlier this year.
The 27-year-old DR native, was caught at Kennedy Airport back in April after arriving on a JetBlue flight from his home country with 50 pellets of heroin in his belly. He has remained in custody ever since and was sentenced to a year and a day in prison.
According to his lawyer, Leandro Joel Caminero hopes to get back to baseball once he serves his time.
According to Sundaram, the outfielder last played for the Rays’ farm team in 2012. Since then, he bounced around playing pro ball in the Dominican Republic, Taiwan and Mexico and hoped for a tryout with a team in Japan.
Unfortunately he suffered a shoulder injury and found himself tight of money. That’s when he made the very bad decision to swallow the drugs for a dealer.
Leandro Joel Caminero who goes by Joel Caminero, was born Oct. 24, 1989 in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic.
He is the son of Marcos Caminero, a popular merengue singer in the island. Ironically his father dedicated him a touching post on his birthday last year.
Marcos Caminero wrote on his Facebook page:
Hoy sabado 24,es el cumpleaños de uno de mis hijos:
Leandro Joel Caminero Castaño…para ti querido hijo,
pido a Dios, te ilumine, proteja, y te de discernimiento,
para que siempre sepas diferenciar, entre el bien y el mal,
y transites por el camino correcto, como hasta hoy.
Dios te bendiga….!!! felicidades !!…..si ombe si.
Today Saturday 24, it is the birthday of one of my children:
Leandro Joel Caminero Castano… for you dear son,
I ask God, enlighten you, protect you, and give you discernment,
So that you always know to differentiate between good and evil,
And walk on the right path, as you’ve always done.
God bless you….!!! Congratulations !!
Joel Caminero was aware of his poor judgment and told the judge in federal court today:
“I supported my family financial in a legal way doing what I know, playing baseball,” “I not only failed myself, but each and every one of my family,” “each and every one who trusted me.”
Good news is he could be a free man in little over three months if he behaves. Bad news, it will have to be out of the U.S.
It is not clear if he is currently married or not.
You can find him on Facebook here.
