17 Individuals Charged With Drug Trafficking In Puerto Rico

 SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment against 17 defendants charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and aiding and abetting in the possession with intent to distribute crack (cocaine base), announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD), Ponce Strike Force.

The indictment alleges that since the year 2012, and continuing up to January 2019, the drug trafficking organization distributed crack in the municipalities of Cabo Rojo, Mayagüez, and Hormigueros, PR, all for financial gain and profit. The 17 defendants acted in different roles in order to further the goals of their organization, to wit: one leader, two runners, and 14 delivery persons.

As part of the conspiracy, the members of the drug trafficking gang delivered crack to their clients. Customers would call a designated number, provide the amount of crack they wanted and their address, and the crack was delivered to them. The drug trafficking organization employed delivery persons, provided them the crack, a cell phone, and a rental car to deliver the crack. At the end of the shift, the delivery persons would pass along the cell phone and the rental car to the next delivery person on-call. The delivery service operated seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.

The defendants indicted are: Christian Pérez-Rivera, a.k.a. “Alborata/Jefe/Buster/Boss”; Emilio Lamboy-Perdomo; Juan Carlos Colón-Méndez, a.k.a. “Jordan”; Reynaldo Sáez-Rivera, a.k.a. “Reynito”; Sean Magnum Acarón-Ramos, a.k.a. “Magnum”; Jean Carlos Pagán-Valentín, a.k.a. “Manolo”; Zell Benedict Martínez-Ruiz; Milaiza Nichelle Martiz-Cardona, a.k.a. “Mila/Prieta”; David Vélez-Bonet; Ruz Vanessa Vargas-Ramírez; Jaime Sánchez-Bravo, a.k.a. “Jaimito”; Marleen Ruiz-López; Alexis Mercado-García, a.k.a. “Gemelo”; Emmanuel Estrada-Pagán, a.k.a. “Manuel”; Ediel Cima De Villa-Moreau, a.k.a. “Kiko”; Jeanette Rivera-Cordero, a.k.a. “Jeanie”; and Jhosean Humberto Aquaron-Rivera, a.k.a. “Coco”.

“I am grateful for the tireless efforts of the investigators and prosecutors who have dismantled this drug trafficking organization with today’s arrests,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We will continue to investigate these criminal organizations with our law enforcement counterparts, and send a clear message that drugs trafficking will not be tolerated in our neighborhoods.” 

 DEA Caribbean Division Special Agent in Charge A.J. Collazo stated that “The world pandemic hasn’t stopped drug trafficking; hasn’t stopped all the violence linked to it. Especially during these hard times, we are more committed than ever to work on making our Island a safer place to live, stay healthy and thrive. The execution of our mission has no space to rest, no time to stay home.  Criminal organizations may think they know better, but sooner or later, we’ll bring them to justice.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Chattah is in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life in prison. Indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.