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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: April 27, 2007

NINE (9) INDIVIDUALS ARRESTED AS A RESULT OF AN OCDETF INVESTIGATION- OPERATION JUMP SUIT

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, Luis S. Fraticelli, Special Agent in Charge, San Juan Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Manuel Oyola Torres, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Jane Hughes, Special Agent in Charge for the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, San Juan Sub Office, Frank D. Silva, Assistant Inspector in Charge for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service's San Juan Field Office, and Pedro Toledo-Dávila, Superintendent of the Police of Puerto Rico (POPR) announced the arrest of nine (9) members of a gun-drug trafficking organization as part of OCDETF Operation Jump Suit. These arrests are the result of a Federal Grand Jury indictment issued in the District of Puerto Rico on April 25, 2007, charging the members of a violent gun-drug trafficking organization with violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act.

The individuals arrested were: Juan Carlos Rodríguez-Sánchez; Edgar Rodríguez-Méndez, aka “Gardy”; David Arroyo-Chacker, aka “Sobry”; Ramón Soto-Villanueva aka “Tony El Cartero”; Luis Molinary-Vélez, aka “Papote”; Marcos Muñoz-Barreto; Jonathan Sosa-Torres, aka “Gringo”; Arnaldo Deliz-Suárez, aka “Pinto” and Felix Omar-Natal, aka "Omy." On April 25, 2007, a Federal Grand Jury in the District of Puerto Rico indicted these individuals and accused them of violations of Title 21, United States Code , Sections 841 and 846, as well as Title 18, United States Code , Sections 922 and 2, in addition to forfeiture allegations. The leader of the gang, Juan Carlos Rodriguez-Sánchez, was also charged with Possession of a Firearm with a Prior Conviction and with Unlawfully Selling a Firearm, a violation under Title 18 United States Code , Section 922.

OCDETF Operation Jump Suit began in May 2004, as a joint investigation between the FBI, ICE, USPI, UPS-OIG and the Puerto Rico Police Department. The investigation targeted a drug trafficking organization suspected of distributing marijuana and cocaine. The members of this organization are considered mid-level drug suppliers of cocaine and marijuana who supplied drugs to some lower level drug dealers and owners of drug points within Puerto Rico, to include, the area known as Poblado San Antonio in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The indictment alleges that one of the defendants, Ramón Soto-Villanueva, who is a U.S. Postal carrier, while at work would receive drugs from the United States and deliver the same.

Penalties for the narcotics offense alleged in the indictment ranges from ten (10) years to life imprisonment and fines of up to four million dollars ($4,000,000.00).

The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial. The U.S. government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Scott Anderson.