Seventy-Two People Charged With Drug Trafficking

U.S. Attorney's Office

San Juan

Press Release

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Att-
orney for the District of Puerto Rico, announced that on September 23, 2016, 
a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a six count indictm-
ent against seventy-two (72) individuals charged with conspiracy to possess 
with intent to distribute controlled substances, aiding and abetting in the pos-
session /distribution of Heroin, cocaine base, cocaine, marijuana, conspiracy 
to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The U.S. Immi-
gration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Police of Puerto Rico Strike
Force are in charge of the investigation.

During the span of the conspiracy, in order to be able to operate a drug point 
at Vista Hermosa Public Housing Project, “rent” would be paid to the leaders 
of the drug trafficking organization and their family members. As part of the 
manner and means of the conspiracy high level members of the DTO would 
order and authorize, the use of force and violence against members of their 
own DTO suspected of providing information to law enforcement.  

The indictment alleges that the conspirators had many roles in order to further 
the goals of the drug trafficking organization. They served as “leaders”, “drug 
point owners”,“runners”, “sellers”, “drug processors”, among other roles. Also, 
as part of the conspiracy, armed conspirators provided security to the drug po-
int at the Vista Hermosa PHP. Members of the DTO were under the rules dicta-
ted by the leaders regarding the location from where controlled substances co-
uld be sold, how conflict resolution between members of the drug trafficking or-
ganization was to be handled, how conflict resolution between Vista Hermosa 
residents not related to the DTO was to be handled. If said rules were violated, 
the leader or high level members of the DTO would use force, violence, and in-
timidation against the offenders in an effort to maintain order within Vista Herm-
osa.

According to the indictment Jaret Navedo-Meléndez, Julio González-Burgos, Jo-
sé Davier Carvente-Guzmán, Kilpatrick Acosta-Cruz, Sergio E. Santa-Otero, Je-
ancristh N. Reyes-Masso, Carlos R. Hernández-Rodríguez, Ángel Román-Ayala,
Jessenia Díaz-Colón, Elba Iris Estrada-Negrón, Rafael O. Álvarez-Cruz, Noel Ma-
nzano-Cintrón, Carlos Luis Hernández-Rodríguez, and an individual known as “Al-
ex Tota”, acted as leaders or drug point owners for the DTO.  The organization al-
so had six (6) defendants that acted as enforcers, two (2) drug processors, nine 
(9) runners, forty (40) sellers, and one (1) facilitator.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa E. Bonhomme and AUSA Kelly Zenon-Matos 
are in charge of the prosecution of the case.  If convicted the defendants face a
minimum sentence of ten (10) years and up to life in prison. Indictments contain 
only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be inno-
cent until and unless proven guilty.

Puerto Rico News Digest For July 20, 2016

MAN CONVICTED FOR CARJACKINGS AND MURDER

From US Attorney's Office:

Today, Carmelo Velázquez-Aponte a.k.a. “Boty,” was found guilty of four
carjackings, carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence
(carjacking), and possession of a stolen firearm...According to the testimony
on June 18, 2011, the defendant stole the licensed firearm belonging to Rich-
ardson Mieses-Pimental and his vehicle, and then executed him. After that
event, Velázquez-Aponte committed other carjackings. During his attempt to
escape his arrest on June 20, 2011, he also stole a police officer’s gun and shot
a Police officer. The defendant also stole a police cruiser and engaged in two
other shootouts with police officers, until he was arrested. The defendant fired
the stolen weapons at the police officers..."

PREPA CUTS POWER AT HOUSING PROJECTS

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"In keeping with the eff ort to collect unpaid bills, the Public Housing
Administration (AVP by its Spanish acronym) announced Monday that
during the past week electrical service has been suspended to clients in
public housing projects in the regions of Mayagüez, Arecibo, Caguas
and Ponce. The AVP also announced that more than 30,000 public hou-
sing residents are late in paying their electricity bills. The heavily indeb-
ted Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) said nearly 170 cus-
tomers were affected by Monday’s action..."

UPR PROFESSOR SKEPTICAL OF NALED SPRAYING

From Caribbean Business:


"The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has exaggerated the risk levels
associated with the Zika virus to justify the aerial spraying of the insecti-
cide Naled over Puerto Rico, a University of Puerto Rico (UPR) profes-
sor said Tuesday. Cruz María Nazario, a professor in the Department of
Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Puerto Rico Medical
Sciences campus, accused the CDC of a lack of scientific rigorousness,
following CDC statements that allegedly overstate the risk for pregnant
women with the Zika virus of having babies with microcephaly. “The le-
vel of risk that has been employed to put fear in communities is wrong,”
said the UPR professor during a press conference in which other academ-
ics and politicians discussed the dangers of Naled, a substance that has
been banned for several years in the European Union..."

PIERLUISI: TASK FORCE CHAIR TO BE NAMED

From News Is My Business:

"Puerto Rico’s Resident Commissioner in Washington, Pedro Pierluisi, said
Tuesday that U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan could name the lawmaker who
will steer the work of the Puerto Rico Congressional Task Force this week.
With that person in place, the Task Force created by the Puerto Rico Oversi-
ght,  Management and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) will begin wor-
king in a more formal manner, he said. The eight Congressional lawmakers
who will sit on the Task Force — Pierluisi, Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-NJ),
Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI), Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), Sen. Marco Rubio
(R-FL), Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Sen. Bob Menéndez (D-NJ), and Sen.
Bill Nelson (D-FL) — were announced last week, and have been communi-
cating informally since, Pierluisi added..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For June 10, 2015

2-DAY WATER RATIONING STARTS TODAY

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Starting Wednesday, some 160,000 citizens who receive water from Lake
Carraízo will enter into the second phase of the water rationing plan, which
is two consecutive days without potable water followed by one day with it,
Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) Director Alberto Lá-
zaro announced. “This decision to extend to a second phase arises from the
dramatic reductions [in water levels] at Carraízo reservoir, due to the severe
drought many municipalities are facing, especially those whose rivers feed
the reservoir,” Lázaro said, adding that the level of the reservoir is at 36.34
meters, which means that during the weekend the water level went down by
more than .17 centimeters.

MAN SHOT DURING FACEBOOK MEETING

A Carolina man was shot last night at the Jardines de Montellano public hou-
sing project in Cayey as he was meeting in person a woman he had found on
Facebook. Shortly after arriving at the projects number 69 building, two males
approached the man and asked him what he was doing there, immediately after
which they opened fire. The victim was transported to Centro Médico in Río
Piedras with gun shot wounds to the chest. He is in stable condition, as repor-
ted today by El Nuevo Día.

NEW STORES DEBUT AT MALL OF SAN JUAN

From Caribbean Business:

The retail establishments offer a variety of products and services. BCBG
Max Azria offers women’s ready-to-wear and accessory collections; Evo-
cent has handcrafted jewelry and accessories; Lush Fresh Handmade Cos-
metics, a first on the island, sells hair and beauty products; Swiss-watch
manufacturer OMEGA ’s first local store; Perfume Plus; the first Brow Art
23 store on the market; watches and jewelry from Invicta’s only store in
Puerto Rico; and apparel and accessory store Zara’s second local store.

COTTO WANTS CANELO ALVAREZ FOR NEXT FIGHT

From International Business Times:

After Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico pulverized Daniel Geale of Australia in
just four rounds Saturday, Cotto wasted no time in calling out Mexico's Ca-
nelo Alvarez for his next fight. "Let's do it," Cotto told HBO commentator
Max Kellerman after the match with Geale. "Before that, I want to spend
some time with my family and enjoy them again, but then it's back to L.A.
and training for Canelo [Alvarez]." Cotto and Alvarez did not want to “do it”
earlier this year when negotiations for the fight broke down at the last minute.
Instead, the Puerto Rican faced an overmatched Australian -- just another
tune-up fight before the potential big money fight against Alvarez.