Organization Supplied Florida, New York, New England, and Ohio

Marcos Daniel Jiménez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Thomas W. Raffanello, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”); Jesus Torres, Special Agent in Charge, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement; Colonel Christopher A. Knight, Florida Highway Patrol, announced today the unsealing of two Indictments charging key members of the Alayon-Cortes drug smuggling organizations with drug trafficking charges. The Indictments arose out of multi-year Southern District of Florida Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) investigations.

In a Superseding Indictment returned by a federal grand jury sitting in Miami, Florida, on May 18, 2004, defendants, LUIS ALFONSO ALAYON-CORTES, a/k/a "Pocho," MUZA LNU, a/k/a "Artur Avina," a/k/a "Moises," a/k/a "Mustafa," ARTURO TAVERA, a/k/a "El Negro," FRANCISCO ANTONIO NUNEZ-JOVEN, a/k/a "El Compadre," RICHARD FERNANDO MORA PINTO, a/k/a "Flaco," JUAN CARLOS JARAMILLO-VELASQUEZ, a/k/a "Gordo," GERMANIA GONZALEZ, a/k/a "Yeni," a/k/a "Jessica Martinez," a/k/a "Juaquin Balaguer," PATRICIA SANCHEZ, a/k/a "Viviana Patricia Sanchez," a/k/a "Maria Martinez," a/k/a "Maria Bello," a/k/a "Maria Sanchez," a/k/a "Gloria Sanchez," FELIPE SANTOS, a/k/a "Jose Morales," JANISSE IVETTE ALEMAN, and OSCAR LUIS RAMOS ALARCON, are charged with one count each of conspiracy to import heroin into the United States, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 963 and 952(a), and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846 and 841(a). In addition, all eleven (11) of these individuals are charged with various substantive charges relating to the importation of heroin in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 952(a), and possessing with the intent to distribute heroin in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a).

In addition, defendant NOELIA RODRIGUEZ, a/k/a "Sonia," was charged separately in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury sitting in Miami, Florida, on March 23, 2004, for conspiracy to import heroin into the United States, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 963 and 952(a), conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846 and 841(a), the importation of heroin in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 952(a), and possessing with the intent to distribute heroin in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a).

Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of $4 million if convicted on either of the drug conspiracy charges and either a maximum of forty (40) years’ imprisonment or life imprisonment if convicted of the substantive offenses for which they have been charged.

The Superseding Indictment arose out of the multi-year OCDETF investigation entitled “Operation Synergy.” Operation Synergy targeted a drug trafficking organization which sent heroin to Miami and New York in order to supply the drug to Florida, New York, New England, and Ohio. The group, headed by Colombian National Luis Alfonso Alayon-Cortes, who is named in all eight (8) counts of the Superseding Indictment, is considered a DEA International Priority Target. Operation Synergy was led by the DEA in Bogotá, Colombia; Caracas, Venezuela; Quito, Ecuador; Miami; New York; Boston; New Haven, Connecticut; Orlando and Tampa, Florida; and Cleveland; Ohio. Law enforcement entities that contributed to Operation Synergy include the Colombian National Police; the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Office in Miami and Tampa, Florida; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Office in Cleveland, Ohio. The investigation was coordinated by DEA's Special Operations Division.

Mr. Jiménez commended the investigative efforts of the DEA, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, Florida Highway Patrol, and all other federal, state, local, and international agencies and offices that assisted in these efforts. “Operation Synergy” is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Delionado.