SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On March 22, 2023, a federal grand jury within the District of Puerto Rico returned a six-count indictment charging 22 people with drug trafficking within the municipalities of Sabana Grande, San Germán, Lajas, and Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau Aguadilla Strike Drive are accountable for the investigation, with the collaboration of Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Inside Income Service (IRS), the USA Marshals Service (USMS), the Mayagüez Strike Drive, Mayagüez Murder Division, and the Mayagüez District Legal professional. This arrest operation is a part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Process Drive (OCDETF) program.
The indictment alleges that from 2019 to the date of the return of the indictment, the drug trafficking group distributed heroin, cocaine base (generally generally known as “crack”), cocaine, marihuana, Fentanyl, Tramadol, Oxycodone (Percocet), and Alprazolam (Xanax) in Majinas Ward, Las Guaras Ward, Cerro Gordo Ward, José A. Castillo Public Housing Venture (PHP) within the municipality of Sabana Grande; Sabana Eneas Ward within the municipality of San Germán; Sabana Yeguas Ward within the municipality of Lajas; Parabueyon Ward within the municipality of Cabo Rojo, and areas close by for important monetary acquire and revenue.
“The fees on this case mirror the Justice Division’s dedication to dismantling drug trafficking organizations that sow violence and concern in our communities. We’ll proceed to work carefully alongside our legislation enforcement companions to dismantle legal organizations all through Puerto Rico and break the cycle of violence that they perpetuate,” mentioned W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Legal professional for the District of Puerto Rico.
“After I first got here to San Juan, I mentioned that violent crime could be amongst our prime priorities. At this time, I wish to thank my FBI Aguadilla Crew for serving to me make good on that promise,” mentioned FBI Particular Agent in Cost Joseph González. “There’ll all the time be extra work to be carried out, however this takedown dismantled a particularly violent legal enterprise, which managed many of the drug trafficking operations within the SW of Puerto Rico, with no regard for human life and no respect for legislation enforcement. I wish to thank the USAO, IRS, USMS, PRPB Mayagüez Strike Drive, USPIS, DEA, HSI, CBP and the Mayagüez District Legal professional’s Workplace, for his or her help on this investigation and their continued help to the FBI mission.”
As a part of the conspiracy, the members acted in several roles to additional the targets of the conspiracy, together with performing as leaders, enforcers, runners, sellers, and facilitators. The defendants had entry to completely different automobiles which they used to move cash, narcotics, and firearms. They provided supply providers to their purchasers; they’d meet up with purchasers at parking heaps or wherever it was handy to their clients.
The members of the gang used drive, violence, and intimidation to keep up management of the areas during which they operated. Twenty-one defendants are additionally dealing with a cost of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The defendants are:
José Alberto Pagán-Casiano, a/ok/a “Pito Cansio”
Victor Galindo-Padilla, a/ok/a “Junito”
John M. Hernández-Méndez, a/ok/a “El Buster”
Terril Rivera-Calder, a/ok/a “TJ”
Julio Argenis Figueroa-Martínez, a/ok/a “Argenis”
Renty A. Areizaga-García
Alexander Rivera-Casiano, a/ok/a “Papal”
Gustavo González-González, a/ok/a “Gotay/GTA/Negro/Tavo”
Christian Belén-Silva, a/ok/a “Belén”
Michael Nazario-Rivera, a/ok/a “Michael Bolso/El Pri”
Yomvier Torres-Ruiz
Jaime Rodríguez-Juliá
Victor Casiano-Alameda, a/ok/a “Junito”
Rodney A. Santiago-Ramírez
Gabriel Olmeda-Mercado, a/ok/a “Rasta”
Justin Carlo-Padilla, a/ok/a “Donald Trump”
José M. Rodríguez-Torres, a/ok/a “JM”
Alex Ramírez-Sánchez, a/ok/a “Pote”
Axel Vélez-Denizac, a/ok/a “Axel el Enano”
Shariel Mercado-González
Yehudy Toro-Vargas
Francisco Ayala-Vega, a/ok/a “Cabra/Sico”
If convicted, the defendants face a minimal sentence of 10 years in jail, and a most sentence of life in jail. A federal district court docket choose will decide any sentence after contemplating the U.S. Sentencing Pointers and different statutory components.
Assistant U.S. Legal professional Corinne Cordero-Romo from the Gang Part is accountable for the prosecution of the case.
This prosecution is a part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Process Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, cash launderers, gangs, and transnational legal organizations that threaten the USA through the use of a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency strategy that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and native legislation enforcement businesses towards legal networks.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed harmless till confirmed responsible past an inexpensive doubt in a court docket of legislation.
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