Pubdate: Sat, 06 Nov 2004
Source: Richmond Review, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2004 Richmond Public Library
Contact:  http://www.richmondreview.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/704
Author: Martin van den Hemel
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

FAMILY SPEAK ABOUT RICHMOND MAN'S ARREST

Trip To Denver Wasn't For Drugs, They Say

A local fitness trainer who was arrested by U.S. drug enforcement
agents last March wasn't in Denver, Colorado to buy drugs, his family
insists.

Kendall Goheen is awaiting his January trial on charges he tried to
purchase 150 kilograms of cocaine from an undercover officer.

His wife, Lahtia Delriviero, spoke to The Richmond Review on Friday.
She said she was shocked when she didn't hear from him and called the
police for help.

"Absolutely, I thought he was dead. I never heard from him for five
days."

Delriviero said Goheen had rented an SUV which was quickly released by
investigators after they found nothing in it.

She emphasized that Goheen was not in the vehicle which carried what
the Drug Enforcement Administration said was $450,000 in cash.
Although she wasn't willing to talk about the case, Delriviero's
mother Charito described her son-in-law as a born-again Christian of
modest means.

"We don't really go along with non-Christian people."

Charito said Goheen and her daughter are both personal trainers and
have been married for eight years.

Goheen was in Denver to purchase second-hand gymnasium equipment when
he was arrested, Charito said.

She said her son-in-law is a Canadian citizen and her daughter grew up
in Richmond, attending Richmond Secondary School. "It was really (a
shock)," she said.

Both her daughter and Goheen are in their 40s.

"Take it from me, these are very good people," Charito
said.

She said that Goheen's lawyer, Thomas Hammond, has indicated that
there's no evidence linking Goheen to the drug deal, except for the
word of the undercover agent who was performing the sting.

Goheen is scheduled to go to trial on Jan. 20 in Denver, but a source
has indicated that a plea bargain may be in the works.
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