Judge imprisons 'Scuba Steve' in Detroit River underwater drug smuggling case

Robert Snell
The Detroit News

A Windsor man who used a fleet of submarines to smuggle drugs and cash across the Detroit River was sentenced Wednesday to almost six years in federal prison.

Glen Mousseau, 49, also forfeited the submarine used in the drug trafficking and is expected to be deported once he leaves prison in 71 months, according to the sentence by U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland.

The Detroit River

The sentence comes almost one year after the career criminal drew international attention when he was found floating, seemingly unconscious, in the river near Detroit, tethered to 185 pounds of marijuana. He told investigators he operated a smuggling business that used a fleet of submarines to avoid law enforcement.

Investigators hailed the marijuana seizure on social media and called Mousseau "Scuba Steve."

For subscribers'Scuba Steve' in deep, loses submarine after plea to drug-smuggling across Detroit River

Mousseau's crimes represented a modern twist on Detroit's fabled history of smugglers sending drugs, people and liquor across the international border between Detroit and Canada.

Prosecutors said Mousseau's smuggling operation relied on a fleet of Seabob-Jets, egg-shaped, WiFi-equipped, electric scooters capable of propelling him along the bottom of the Detroit River at more than 13 miles per hour in near silence and with two cameras providing lookout. A Seabob-Jet usually sells for $9,000 to $16,500.

Glen Mousseau

In October, Mousseau pleaded guilty to illegally entering the U.S. and drug trafficking, charges punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Advisory guidelines called for less than six years in prison but prosecutors argued he deserved a longer sentence because Mousseau's rap sheet includes 47 convictions in Canada during the past 32 years.

His defense lawyer requested a 3 ½-year sentence.

Prosecutors argue Mousseau headed an international smuggling business. His lawyer said Mousseau is a low-level drug mule.

rsnell@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @robertsnellnews