U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
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U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation |
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| Immediate Release |
San Juan, Puerto Rico |
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August 26, 2005 |
Humberto Garcia, United States Attorney, District of Puerto Rico; Luis S. Fraticelli, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and Miguel A. Pereira Castillo, Director Puerto Rico Department of Corrections announced today the indictments of seven individuals on charges resulting from an undercover investigation into systemic corruption within the Bayamon and Rio Piedras Correctional Institutions.
From on or about June of 2004, and continuing through on or about May of 2005, in the District of Puerto Rico the defendants mentioned below knowingly conspired, to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance committing an offense against the United States, as that term is defined in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. Section 2, Title 21 Section 841 and section 846. Investigation has shown that Corrections Officers (CO's), and civilian visitors collectively smuggled large quantities of heroin, cocaine, and marijuana into the PRDOC Institutions. Inmate drug dealers sanctioned by various prison gangs in power at particular prisons paid the CO's, employees, and visitors to smuggle drugs into the prisons in quantities ranging from personal use quantities to 1/8 of a kilogram. Once in the institutions, the drugs were re‑sold in the prison for a profit, at approximately double the street value. It is alleged that the institutions may have as many as five or more drug points in a single institution, and each sell as much as 1/8 to 3/8 of a kilogram of heroin a week, grossing approximately $22,000 to $70,000 per 1/8 of kilogram. This investigation focused on the CO's that were using their positions and access to the institutions to further the scheme of smuggling narcotics into the prisons. The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial and the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The defendants are as follows: 1)Mayra I Alvarado Hernandez, Coamo, Puerto Rico 2)Freddy Gonzalez Gonzalez, Guayanilla Puerto Rico 3)Carlos Ortiz Morales, Maricao, Puerto Rico 4)Jose Villegas Nieves, Cataño, Puerto Rico 5)Radames Cortes Ozoa, Arecibo, Puerto Rico 6)Pablo Rivera Morales, Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico 7)Juan Viruet Centeno, Bayamon Puerto Rico
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