Alleged Members of La Oficina de Envigado – a Criminal Organization that Provided Enforcement and Collection Services for Medellín Cartel – Arrested for Drug Trafficking

BOSTON – Two Colombian men and two Massachusetts men have been arrested and charged in connection with organized crime in the Republic of Colombia.

Fabio de Jesus Yepes Sanchez, 54, and Mario Zapata Velez, 39, both of Medellín, were charged in indictments unsealed today with conspiracy to commit extortion, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to make extortionate threats, interstate travel in aid of racketeering, collection of credit by extortionate means and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Yepes and Zapata were arrested by Colombian authorities on Wednesday, July 15, 2020.

Miguel Colindres, 59, and Juan Pablo Ariasgil, 39, both of Lowell, were indicted today on conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Colindres and Ariasgil were previously charged by criminal complaint and arrested on July 15.

According to charging documents, Yepes and Zapata were members of La Oficina de Envigado (La Oficina), a criminal organization based in Medellín, Colombia. La Oficina originated in the 1980s when its members provided enforcement and collection services for the Medellín Cartel, including deceased Medellín Cartel leader Pablo Escobar. Today, La Oficina is allegedly involved in international narcotics trafficking, drug debt collection, money laundering, extortion and murder for hire.

It is alleged that Yepes and Zapata conspired to use threats to extort approximately $750,000 in drug debt from two cocaine traffickers based in Massachusetts.  Yepes and Zapata also conspired with Colindres and Ariasgil to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine in Massachusetts. Colindres and Ariasgil also allegedly possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.

The operation, dubbed “Operation Týr,” was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.

The charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of extortion conspiracy and collection of extensions of credit by extortionate means each provide for a sentence up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of interstate travel in aid of racketeering provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charges of money laundering and money laundering conspiracy each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement today. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department, Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston and the Government of Colombia provided critical assistance with the investigation.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.