The 23-year-old resident nabbed in one of the largest drug busts in Austin’s history was sentenced to 198 months, or more than 16 years, in prison in U.S. District Court Tuesday.

Vedran Pejic, of Austin, was charged Dec. 6 with a single felony count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine after authorities found 11 kilograms, or 24 pounds, and $19,000 in cash during a search warrant at local two apartment units.

Total value is conservatively estimated at $350,000, according to Austin Police Chief Paul Philipp.

Pejic, along with four others, was indicted. Susana Mota-Trejo, 30, was sentenced to 72 months Tuesday. The three others — Martin Jermaine Billue, 35; Gene David Wear, 24; and Ricardo Raul Saucedo Jr., 25 — have pleaded guilty to charges, and await sentencing, which is still unscheduled.

According to the affidavit, federal authorities had been investigating Pejic since early 2007, after the Rochester Police Department and the Southeast Minnesota Drug Task Force contacted them about an alleged drug-smuggling enterprise involving marijuana and cocaine led by Pejic.

Investigators would link Pejic to eight kilograms of cocaine intercepted by U.S. Border Control in Texas on August 2007 and, in November, to two packages discovered by Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport officials.

Authorities executed a search warrant at Mandolin Apartments, 203 31st St. S.W., Dec. 5.

In total, authorities seized 46 pounds of cocaine.