18
INDIVIDUALS ARRESTED IN A DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION
H.S.
Garcia, United States Attorney, District of Puerto Rico, Patrick J.
Daly, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Puerto Rico and the United
States Virgin Islands, Miguel Pereira, Secretary Department of Corrections,
and Victor Rivera Gonzalez, Superintendent, Police of Puerto Rico (POPR),
announced today the arrest of a Drug Trafficking Organization; some
belonging to the Ñeta Prison Gang operating within the Puerto
Rico penal facilities, on charges resulting from indictments by a federal
grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico.
On May 8, 2003, the defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury
on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled
substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1)
and 846, conspiracy to use a communication facility for drug trafficking
in violation of Section 843(b), conspiracy to carry firearms during
and in relating to a drug trafficking offense, in violation of Title
18, U.S.C. Section 924(o), conspiracy to sell or otherwise provide firearms
and ammunition to a felon in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Sections
922(d)(1) and 371, and conspiracy to launder drug trafficking proceeds
in violation of Section 1956(h).
The eighteen (18) individuals indicted in this case are alleged to have
conspired to purchase multi-kilogram quantities of heroin, cocaine and
detectable amounts of marijuana to be smuggled and then distributed
into prison institutions within Puerto Rico. The indictment also charges
some defendants, who would routinely carry and use firearms to protect
themselves and their drug proceeds from other drug organizations.
All defendants were charged in the indictment with conspiracy to possess
with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit
money laundering.
In addition to those charges, each defendant, followed by his/hers age,
faces the following charges:
1. Saturnino Rivera-Adorno, aka "Pincasco", aka "Pin",
aka “Cabezon” age 41, one count of carrying a firearm while
committing a drug offense and one count conspiracy to use a communication
facility for drug trafficking
2. Olga Bonilla-Marrero age 41, one count conspiracy to use a communication
facility for drug trafficking
3. Hilda Luz Bonilla-Marrero age 37,
4. Carmen Rivera-Adorno
age 42, one count conspiracy to use a communication facility for drug
trafficking
5. Jose Francisco Rivera-Adorno, aka, “Frank” age 36, one
count of carrying a firearm while committing a drug offense, one count
conspiracy to use a communication facility for drug trafficking and
one count of conspiracy to sell or otherwise of firearms and ammunition
to a felon
6. Martin Sanabria-Morales, aka “Martin”, aka “Secretary”
age 40, one count conspiracy to use a communication facility for drug
trafficking
7. Jonathan Sanchez-Garcia, aka “Heman” age 28, one count
conspiracy to use a communication facility for drug trafficking
8. Francisco Ortega-Villaman, aka “Frank”, aka “Frank
the Dominican” age 42, one count conspiracy to use a communication
facility for drug trafficking
9. Diana Hernandez-Rodriguez age 38, one count conspiracy to use a communication
facility for drug trafficking
10. Angel L. Vargas-DeJesus, aka "Tatin", aka "Gordo",
aka “Tato” age 39, one count conspiracy to use a communication
facility for drug trafficking
11.
Maribel Diaz-Rivera, aka “Mari" age 38
12. Gilberto Reyes-Marquez, aka “Gil” age 25, one count conspiracy
to use a communication facility for drug trafficking
13. Josean Febo-Rodriguez, aka “Abuelo”, aka “Viejo”,
aka “Conejo” age 27, one count conspiracy to use a communication
facility for drug trafficking
14. Miguel Montanez-Miranda, aka “Mickey Motors”, aka “Mickey”
age 41,
15. Miguel Gonzalez Santiago, aka "Bolla", aka "Gordo",
aka "Boya", age 27, one count conspiracy to use a communication
facility for drug trafficking
16. Angel Omar Martinez-Ortiz, aka Omar, aka "Omar Canales",
aka "Omar Knales" age 28 , one count conspiracy to use a communication
facility for drug trafficking
17. Marcial Navarro-Rodriguez, aka "Charlie Small", aka "Charlie",
age 41, one count conspiracy to use a communication facility for drug
trafficking
18. Ramon Rivera-Cruz, aka "Culebra", aka "Culebrita",
aka "Cule" age 38, one count conspiracy to use a communication
facility for drug trafficking
Penalties
for convictions of the offenses alleged in the indictment, range from
four years to to life imprisonment, and fines from $250,000 up to four
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.
This
investigation was conducted by the FBI Safe Streets Task force, with
the assistance and cooperation of the Police of Puerto Rico, the San
Juan Municipal Police, and the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections
and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan J. Schulte.
Field
News | FBI Home Page
|
