José R. Díaz Rosado, former manager of salsa artist Víctor Manuelle and merengue sensation Elvis Crespo, was sentenced to federal prison on drug charges in the state of Florida. Judge K. Michael Moore sentenced Díaz Rosado to life imprisonment on Feb.6, 2014 after the artistic manager plead guilty of conspiracy to possess cocaine with the intention to distribute it on Nov. 4, 2013. Although Díaz Rosado’s family, friends, artists and other people in the entertainment business requested clemency for the 48-year-old man, Judge Moore imposed the maximum penalty of life in prison and a fine of $100.
Díaz Rosado was arrested last year in New York by agents of the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement after a federal grand jury in the state of Florida issued an indictment against him for possession with intent to distribute five kilos of cocaine. After hearing the news of the sentencing, former artistic client Víctor Manuelle took to Twitter to express his sentiments about the case. “Unfortunate news about José Díaz. Although I don’t agree with his actions, which I was unaware of, I offer my support to him and his family in such a sad time.”
He later went on to add, “All humans make mistakes. No one has the right to judge us, that’s when you prove your real friendship.” Elvis Crespo hasn’t made any public announcements about his former manager, and most likely he won’t, since they ended up in bad terms with threats of lawsuit over an alleged money that Díaz Rosado owed Crespo.
The former artistic manager was also in charge of other artists such as N’Klabe, Iván “La Voz” andZone D’ Tambora.