Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez
United States Attorney
District of Puerto Rico

Torre Chardón Bldg., Suite 1201
350 C. Chardón Avenue
Hato Rey, Puerto Rico 00918

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: August 10, 2007

Contact:

U.S. Attorney’s Office
Nedy A. Carrillo
787-282-1914
787-231-8060

FBI
Harry Rodríguez
787-759-1550
787-994-0441

44 Members of a Drug Trafficking and Firearms Organization Indicted as a Result of the Joint Efforts of the Fajardo Strike Force

SAN JUAN, P.R. - Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico; Luis Fraticelli, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),San Juan Division and Pedro Toledo, Superintendent, Police of Puerto Rico (PRPD); today jointly announced the arrest of 27 members of a drug trafficking organization operating at the Victor Berríos Public Housing in the Municipality of Yabucoa. On August 2, 2007, a federal grand jury issued a seven-count indictment, accusing the 44 defendants of federal drug trafficking and firearms offenses. The arrest operation is still ongoing.

The indictment alleges that since the year 2004, the defendants conspired to possess with intent to distribute one hundred (100) grams or more of heroin; five (5) grams or more of cocaine base (“crack”); five hundred (500) kilograms or more of cocaine, and a measurable amount of marihuana, within the Victor Berrios Public Housing located in the Municipality of Yabucoa, Puerto Rico. All in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 846, and 860. The indictment further alleges that some of the defendants aiding and abetting each other, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, unlawfully possessed, used and carried firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1) and 2. The indictment also contains narcotics forfeiture allegations in the amount of $10,000,000.00, pursuant to Title 21, United States Code, Section 853.

The indictment alleges that the defendants controlled the distribution of narcotics in the only housing project in the Municipality of Yabucoa. The defendants took over drug distribution points by means of violence, force and intimidation. The defendants would purchase wholesale quantities of heroin, cocaine, and marijuana and distribute the same in the drug points. The leader would maintain a group of co-defendants managing the activities of the drug distribution points located at the two drug points under their control. Some of the co-conspirators would routinely possess, carry, brandish and use firearms to protect themselves and the drug trafficking organization. Some of the co-conspirators would use violence, force and intimidation in order to gain or maintain control of the drug trafficking operations. The co-conspirators operated in different roles such as leaders, facilitators, enforcers, runners, sellers, and drug processors.

Penalties for the offenses alleged in the indictment range from 5 years to 40 years in prison and fines of up to $2 million dollars. 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 and the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The investigation was lead by the FBI, PRPD and the Fajardo Strike Force in collaboration with DEA and ATF. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Dina Avila-Jiménez in collaboration with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Guillermo Gil-Bonar.