Marcos Daniel Jiménez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Michael S. Clemens, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Jesus Torres, Special Agent in Charge, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, announced today that defendants, Charles E. Robinson, Andres Rodriguez, and Billy A. Infante, have been arrested. Robinson, Rodriguez, and Infante, along with co-defendants, Luis E. Carrasco (“Carrasco”), Pedro A. Infante (“P. Infante”), Edgar H. Soto, Jose E. Abreu, Rosa I. Abreu, Marisela Diaz, and Pedro Perez, are charged in an Indictment with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846 and 841(a)(1).

The Indictment also charges Carrasco and P. Infante with two counts aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1), and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2. The Indictment contains a $12,750,000 money judgement count, which represents the value of the drugs traceable to the offenses committed by the co-conspirators.

If convicted on the conspiracy charge, Robinson, Rodriguez, and Infante face a maximum term of life imprisonment and a maximum fine of $4,000,000.

With the arrests of Robinson, Rodriguez, and Infante, seven of the ten named defendants in the Indictment have been arrested. Last week, co-defendants, Jose E. Abreu, Rose I. Abreu, Diaz, and Perez, were arrested. The Indictment arose out of a multi-year Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation, entitled “Operation Gato Sucio,” led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Miami-Dade Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office in the District of New Jersey, which is prosecuting six other members of the same organization operating out of the New York/New Jersey area as part of a multi-district take-down, assisted in the investigation. Additionally, the United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Puerto Rico, as well as the FBI’s office there, provided assistance in the investigation.

Mr. Jiménez commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Miami-Dade Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerold McMillen.