District of Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Five individuals pleaded guilty to violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. 

According to court documents, for the five defendants, all Puerto Rico residents, admitted to unjustly enriching themselves through the trafficking, taking, trapping, sale, and barter of migratory birds. The defendants captured and possessed migratory birds; illegally held them in temporary housing; offered the birds for sale on private internet chat groups; sold the birds to local purchasers; negotiated the price of the birds, paid for, and received payments for the trafficking of migratory birds in Puerto Rico and elsewhere. The migratory birds illegally trafficked included: 

• Bahama Pintail ducks;
• Northern Pintail ducks;
• Black-bellied whistling ducks;
• Eastern spot-billed ducks;
• Blue-wing Teal;
• Canadian geese;
• Wood ducks; and
• White-crowned pigeons.

In criminal case 25-504 (PAD), defendant Héctor Rivera González pleaded guilty on May 22, 2026, to a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. He will be sentenced on August 7, 2026, and faces up to two years in prison. 

In criminal case 25-503 (ADC), the following defendants pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to violate the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.  Each defendant is pending sentencing up to 5 years in prison. 

[1] Ricardo Morales-Colón: pleaded guilty on March 5, 2026, and his sentencing is scheduled for June 17, 2026;

[2] Derline Cordero-Galloza: pleaded guilty on March 26, 2026, and his sentencing is scheduled for June 29, 2026;

[3] Ezequiel Muñiz-Salas: pleaded guilty on March 5, 2026, and his sentencing is scheduled for June 17, 2026; and

[4] Edison Pérez-Collado: pleaded guilty on April 23, 2026, and his sentencing is scheduled for July 9, 2026.

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; in conjunction with the investigating agency, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Erbe, Chief of the Financial Fraud and Public Corruption Section is prosecuting the case.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On May 27, 2026, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Raúl Arias-Marxuach sentenced Leonardo Román-Domenech, age 40, of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, to 14 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for the transportation of child exploitation material, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Román-Domenech was indicted on April 3, 2025, arrested on April 9, 2025, and pleaded guilty on February 2, 2026.

According to court documents, from July through October 2021, Leonardo Román-Domenech, used a cellphone device with internet capabilities to knowingly transport images of a 15-year-old female minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. 

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Carlos Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Emelina Agrait Barreto of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On May 21, 2026, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Barbaro José Del Valle-De Paula, 64 years old, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and firearms offenses, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.

According to court documents, from April 29, 2026 through May 13, 2026, defendant Del Valle-De Paula, conspired with other persons to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine base (commonly known as “crack”), heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and Oxycodone (commonly known as Percocet) at Las Gardenias Public Housing Project, and within 1,000 feet of the real property comprising a public or private school and playground. Del Valle-De Paula was arrested on May 13, 2026, in possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

The defendant made his initial court appearance May 14, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marcos E. López of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years’ imprisonment and maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Michael Mayer, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Puerto Rico Police Department are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney José A. Contreras is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney, in conjunction with our partner agencies in the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) announce the following investigative and prosecutorial results for the week of May 18 through May 22, 2026.  The HSTF is a permanent, interagency law enforcement task force created by executive order to combat transnational criminal organizations—including cartels, trafficking networks, and foreign terrorist organizations. 

Indictments:

• On May 20, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Wadimir Ibáñez-Quiñones and Christian Rivera-Cardona with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. According to court documents, in May 2026, the defendants knowingly and intentionally conspired with each other and others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.  Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Lani E. Lear is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

Convictions through Guilty Pleas:

• On May 19, 2026, Xavier Omar Maldonado-Negroni pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances in case 24-170 (RAM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated principally in the Jardines de Sellés Public Housing Project in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Defendant’s initial appearance in court was on May 22, 2024. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for August 19, 2026.  AUSAs Joseph Russell and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

Sentencings:

• On May 20, 2026, defendant Roberto Zorrilla-Caminero was sentenced by United States District Court Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán to a term of imprisonment of 18 months and 1 year of supervised release for an illegal re-entry offense after being previously removed from the United States subsequent to a felony conviction. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on October 30, 2025, in Criminal Case No. 25-452 (MAJ) and pleaded guilty on February 25, 2026. AUSA Manuel Muñiz-Lorenzi is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 20, 2026, Rey Ivan Freytes was sentenced by Chief Judge Raúl Arias-Mauxuach to 119 months and 18 days of imprisonment to be followed by 10 years of supervised release for his participation in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated principally in the Jardines de Sellés Public Housing Project in San Juan, Puerto Rico. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on May 8, 2024, in Criminal Case 24-170 (RAM), and pleaded guilty on February 4, 2026. AUSAs Joseph Russell and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 21, 2026, defendant Gelson Adrián De La Cruz-Nolberto was sentenced by Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colón to a term of imprisonment of 8 months and 1 year of supervised release for an illegal re-entry offense after being previously removed from the United States subsequent to a felony conviction. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on November 18, 2025, in Criminal Case No. 25-482 (ADC) and pleaded guilty on March 12, 2026. AUSA Manuel Muñiz-Lorenzi is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Puerto Rico & Virgin Islands High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) hosted ONDCP Director Sara Carter and federal and state law enforcement agencies to discuss Path to Zero, a United States Postal Inspection Service law enforcement initiative to continue fighting drug trafficking in the Caribbean and the Homeland Security Task Force Initiative.

Combating drug trafficking through the mail is one of the highest priorities for postal inspectors. Across the country postal inspectors play a central role in disrupting the drug supply chain globally; working diligently with agency partners, all committed to fight drug trafficking. Postal inspectors will not allow the mail to be a back door for drug and firearms trafficking organizations operating in Puerto Rico, or in any American community.

Today, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (Postal Inspection Service) announced the results of operation “Path to Zero,” a Puerto Rico based drug interdiction initiative. Operation Path to Zero, led by the Postal Inspection Service’s Miami Division, and its San Juan Domicile, was launched in January 2026 and to date has resulted in the seizure of over 556 kilograms of cocaine found in over 448 USPS parcels destined for the mainland United States. Operation Path to Zero has been a partnership with, and supported by, Postal Inspection Service – Puerto Rico Police Task Force, the US Attorney’s Office – District of Puerto Rico, and the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) comprised of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations Division.

Puerto Rico serves as a gateway for a large portion of cocaine shipments sent through the U.S. Mail by foreign terrorist organization to the mainland United States. The Postal Inspection Service through Operation Path to Zero is closing this gateway for good, and has increased its resources in Puerto Rico, and implemented a strategy that is focused on the interdiction and removal of drugs from the mailstream at the source in Puerto Rico. The Postal Inspection Service has also increased its focus on the interdiction of firearms, criminal proceeds, and dangerous drugs, such as fentanyl, destined to Puerto Rico from the mainland United States.

“We will not allow for the U.S. Postal Service to be used to traffic drugs,” said Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale. “As a result of this operation we have removed a significant amount of illegal drugs from the mailstream before it could reach the mainland United States. We are not done. Postal inspectors will continue to work with our Homeland Security Task Force, the Puerto Rico Police Department and U.S. Attorney’s Office partners to stop the flow of drugs, firearms, and criminal proceeds through the mail.”

“Under President Trump’s leadership and newly-released National Drug Control Strategy, the United States continues to wage a relentless offensive against illicit drugs. This drug seizure operation shows how Puerto Rico has been targeted for exploitation by smugglers,” said Sara Carter, National Drug Control Policy Director. “No matter how drug traffickers try to smuggle drugs, we will stop them at every point of entry—including borders, waters, airspace and mail. I am grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their hard work.”

“Law enforcement agencies in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean continue the efforts to attack drug trafficking cartels, transnational organizations and violent crime,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “Our common goal is to make our communities safer, and with the help of ONDCP, HIDTA, and initiatives like Path to Zero and the Homeland Security Task Force we will continue producing great results and dismantling drug trafficking networks that only bring violence and death to our communities.”

“The HIDTA program is unique in its ability to support coordinated law enforcement strategies which maximize the effectiveness of local resources to reduce the supply of illegal drugs in our communities and the United States as a whole,” said John F. Kanig, Executive Director, Puerto Rico / U.S. Virgin Islands High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. “We are committed to working with our public safety and public health partners for a better future”.

The Postal Inspection Service utilized a variety of methods to identify drugs sent through the mail, including information from the public.  The Postal Inspection Service offers rewards of up to $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction for drug trafficking related offenses. Information on drug trafficking may be reports to postal inspectors at 877-876-2455 or online at www.uspis.gov.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney, in conjunction with our partner agencies in the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) announce the following investigative and prosecutorial results for the week of May 11 through May 15, 2026.  The HSTF is a permanent, interagency law enforcement task force created by executive order to combat transnational criminal organizations—including cartels, trafficking networks, and foreign terrorist organizations.

Indictments:

• On May 14, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Jesús Martínez-Cedeño with possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, in April 2026, the defendant knowingly and intentionally imported into the United States, from Colombia and other places, five kilograms or more of cocaine.  Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Antonio L. Pérez-Alonso is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 14, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Ezequiel Amaro-Rosario (Dominican) with re-entry of removed alien. On May 10, Amaro-Rosario who had been previously removed from the United States, attempted to enter and was found in the United States, without obtaining, prior to his re-embarkation at a place outside the United States, the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission into the United States. United States Coast Guard Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Cody A. McKinney is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

Convictions through Guilty Pleas:

• On May 11, 2026, Carlos Jadriel Rivera-León pleaded guilty to drug and firearm charges in case 23-353 (GMM).  According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated out of various public housing projects in and near Manatí, Puerto Rico, including the Enrique Zorilla Public Housing Project.  Defendant was arrested on September 22, 2023. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for August 14, 2026. AUSAs Andrés Orr and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 12, 2026, Ramsell Maldonado-Tatis, William Boria-Rosa and Orlando Resto-García pleaded guilty to drug and firearm charges in case 24-453 (MAJ). Wilfredo Hernández-Vizcarrondo, Carlos Delgado-Torres and Justin Landrau-Cirino pleaded guilty to drug charges in that same case.  According to the indictment, the defendants were charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated out of various Public Housing Projects in Carolina and San Juan, including the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project. Defendants were arrested on December 11, 2026. The court set defendants’ sentencing date for August 5, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 13, 2026, Josué Isaac-Febus and Joshua Rivera-Cruz pleaded guilty to drug and firearm charges in case 24-453 (MAJ). Juan Tereforte-Bello and Eduardo Tolentino-Meléndez pleaded guilty to drug charges in that same case.  According to the indictment, the defendants were charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated out of various Public Housing Projects in Carolina and San Juan, including the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project. Defendants were arrested on December 11, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 14, 2026, Michael García-Marquez pleaded guilty to drug and firearm charges in case 24-453 (MAJ). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated out of various Public Housing Projects in Carolina and San Juan, including the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project. Defendant was arrested on December 11, 2026. The court set defendant’s sentencing hearing for August 12, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

Sentencings:

• On May 12, 2026, Justin Carlo Padilla was sentenced by Chief Judge Raúl Arias Marxuach to 111 months of imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on March 22, 2023, in case 23-114 (RAM), and pleaded guilty to the charges on February 11, 2026. AUSA Corinne Cordero Romo is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 12, 2026, Xavier González-Rivera was sentenced by Judge Pedro A. Delgado to 84 months of imprisonment and supervised release term of 6 years for distribution of controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on July 20, 2022, in Criminal case 22-327 and pled guilty to the charge(s) on January 27, 2026. AUSA Corinne Cordero in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 12, 2026, Justin Carlo Padilla was sentenced by Chief Judge Raúl Arias Marxuach to 111 months of imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release for distribution of controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on March 22, 2023, in Criminal case # 23-114, and pled guilty to the charge(s) on February 11, 2026. AUSA Corinne Cordero in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 13, 2026, Roric Harvey Nuñez-García was sentenced by Chief Judge Raúl Arias-Marxuach to 30 months in prison for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a machinegun in cases 25-104 and 25-279. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on March 5, 2025, in case 25-104 and on July 20, 2025, in case 25-279 and pleaded guilty to the charges on February 12, 2026. AUSA Joseph Russell is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On May 12, 2026, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging 23 members of a racketeering enterprise known as La Familia Nunca Muere (LFNM) with racketeering—murder, drug trafficking, and firearms violations. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion.

“This criminal Enterprise used gun violence and murder as mere business tools to maintain power and control. The filing of RICO charges gives us the capacity to systematically dismantle the violent gangs that fuel bloodshed and keep families living in fear,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “These charges are a key part of our unified strategy to eradicate drug driven gang violence in our communities. Through RICO charges prosecutors can charge and bring to justice the entire criminal Enterprise as one organization—we can reach every participant from leadership to street level shooters and show a pattern of coordinated crime across gangs rather than isolated acts. It allows us to tell the full story of how different gangs coordinated murders, drug trafficking, and intimidation to advance a shared enterprise, instead of presenting each case as a stand-alone crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively pursue these gangs wherever they operate and will not relent until our neighborhoods are safe.”

“Violence of this magnitude will not become the norm in Puerto Rico, and the DEA, alongside our law enforcement partners, is committed to confronting it head-on,” said DEA Caribbean Division Special agent in Charge Michael Mayer. “This investigation targeted individuals who believed they could use murder and intimidation to strengthen their criminal organization and spread fear throughout our communities. What they encountered instead was a united effort by federal and local agencies working side by side, sharing intelligence, resources, and manpower to dismantle those responsible. This case represents far more than arrests and indictments, it represents our collective determination to protect the public, disrupt violent criminal networks, and restore safety to the communities affected by this violence.”

“The FBI will continue working aggressively alongside our federal and state partners to identify, investigate, and dismantle violent criminal organizations that threaten our communities,” said Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “This case reflects the value of interagency collaboration to support efforts aimed at pursuing individuals linked to drug trafficking, violence, and the illegal use of firearms. Those who use fear and violence to operate should understand that law enforcement will continue working relentlessly to bring them to justice.”

The indictment alleges that the defendants were members and associates of a criminal organization engaged in drug distribution and acts of violence, including murder. The transnational criminal organization referred to as La Familia Nunca Muere (LFNM), composed of Las FARC (also known as Las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Cantera and Las FARC Company), Cantera Nueva Generación (CNG) and other gangs from the areas of San Juan, Bayamón, Comerío, Trujillo Alto and Carolina including its members and associates, constituted an “Enterprise,” as defined by 18 U.S.C. § 1961(4) (“the Enterprise”), that is, a group of individuals associated in fact, whose members functioned as a continuing unit for a common purpose of achieving the objectives of the Enterprise. The Enterprise was engaged in, and its activities affected interstate and foreign commerce.

According to court documents, from 2019 to the present, the Enterprise distributed heroin, cocaine base (commonly known as crack), cocaine, marijuana, fentanyl, Oxycodone (commonly known as Percocet), and Alprazolam (commonly known as Xanax) at the Villa Kennedy, Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas, El Mirador de las Casas, and Las Margaritas Public Housing Projects (PHPs), and other areas. Also, according to the indictment, members of the organization committed acts of violence to further the objectives of the Enterprise. These acts of violence served to promote and enhance the prestige, reputation and position of the Enterprise amongst rival criminal organizations, protect members and associates from law enforcement and rival drug trafficking organizations, and preserve and protect their operation.

As part of the racketeering conspiracy, defendant [1] Emmanuel Pacheco-Marín was the principal leader of LFNM, overseeing the LFNM members and associates under Las FARC; [2] Edison Merced-Olivera and [3] Alberto Valdez were leaders of the LFNM, overseeing the LFNM members and associates under Las FARC. These three leaders conspired with others to import cocaine from the Dominican Republic into Puerto Rico, and to further distribute narcotics within Puerto Rico and the continental United States.

On or about October 6, 2025, [1] Pacheco-Marín and [2] Merced-Olivera, after learning about the murder of a Las FARC leader – Héctor Alcántara-Domínguez, a.k.a. “Mariachi” – ordered the members of the Enterprise to find the people responsible for “Mariachi’s” murder and to execute them in retaliation. On that same date, at least 14 members of the Enterprise planned, kidnapped, tortured, executed and disposed of the bodies of five individuals: N.B., W.J.G.R., J.D.S.M., J.R.P., and E.D.M. in retaliation for the murder of “Mariachi.” The fact that the Enterprise murdered these five individuals does not mean that any or all of those victims were involved in the murder of “Mariachi.”

The 14 individuals charged with murder in aid of racketeering, who, if convicted, are facing up to life in prison and who are eligible for the death penalty are:

[1]   Emmanuel Pacheco-Marín, a.k.a. “Bebo Las Farc/Bebo/Manuel/Cabezón/Viejo

[2]   Edison Merced-Olivera, a.k.a. “Chino/Chino Pai/Chino Oriental/El Loco/

       Chino Las Margaritas/China/Pai/Pay”

[4]   Segismar Rodríguez-Rivera, a.k.a “Segis/Seji/Ceji/Segui”

[5]   Rafael Prek-Vargas, a.k.a “Gordito/Goldito”

[6]   Nefty Oquendo-Rosario, a.k.a. “Mencho/N”

[8]   Fernando Hilario-Figueroa, a.k.a. “Bazuka/Bazu/Nando de Playita/Boti/Bazukaso/

       Mi Alma Gemela”

[9]   Jean Carlos Ramos-Valdivia, a.k.a. “Caponi/El Cantante/El Flaco”

[10] Pedro J. Cintrón-Álvarez, a.k.a. “Torombolo/Toro”

[12] Adam Miranda-Rivera

[13] Efraín Ortiz-Rivera, a.k.a. “Topi/Topy/El Malnacido 357/Topo 2024”

[14] Jonathan Selander-Tanco, a.k.a. “Pollo/Gallina/Gato/Ojos Claros”

[15] Wilson Álvarez-Barrera, a.k.a. “Wilson Fama/Fama/La Fama”

[16] Adnell Dones-Valdivia, a.k.a. “Crispan/Crispancito”

[18] José Yariel Ortiz-Santiago, a.k.a. “Sangre”

The other defendants charged in the conspiracy to participate in a racketeering Enterprise are:

[3]   Alberto Valdez, a.k.a. “Pelota/Pelotero”

[7]   Steven González-Sánchez, a.k.a “El de los Tatuajes/Tatuajes”

[11] Jorge Torres-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Polly/Poyi/Ponce/Pollina”

[17] Luis Alfonso Amezquita-Falú, a.k.a. “Diablón”

[19] Christian López-Díaz, a.k.a. “Christian 25/Chris 25”

[20] Carlos Zalduondo-Díaz, a.k.a. “Colo”

[21] Sergio Meléndez-Maldonado, a.k.a. “Cape”

[22] Jessica Rosario-Burgos, a.k.a “La Mother”

[23] Nallelys Colón-Borrero, a.k.a “Naye/SylellaN”

The indictment also charges eight additional counts, including: murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute heroin, crack, cocaine, fentanyl, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

The charged defendants occupied different roles in the Enterprise, to wit, principal leader, leaders, drug point owners, enforcers, runners, sellers, lookouts and coordinators. All are facing narcotics, firearms, ammunition and RICO forfeiture allegations.

Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Camille García from the Asset Recovery, Money Laundering, and Transnational Organized Crime Section, and Laura Díaz-González from the Gang Section are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

If convicted of the RICO charges, the defendants face up to life imprisonment and, as noted above, 14 defendants charged with the murders of N.B., W.J.G.R., J.D.S.M., J.R.P., and E.D.M. are eligible for the death penalty. The penalties for a conviction on drug trafficking charges are a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life imprisonment. Defendants convicted of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking face a mandatory consecutive sentence of five years up to life imprisonment. Defendants convicted of possessing a machinegun in furtherance of drug trafficking face a mandatory consecutive sentence of 30 years up to life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On May 14, 2026, United States District Court Judge Aida Delgado Colón sentenced Luis Ángel Domenech‑Acabá to 360 months (30 years) in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release for child exploitation. On February 25, 2026, after a three-day jury trial, Luis Ángel Domenech‑Acabá, 35, from San Juan, was found guilty of production and possession of child pornography. This sentence was imposed consecutively with a state sentence of six years for lewd acts in a separate case.

According to the evidence presented at trial and reviewed by the jury, from September 2017 to September 2018, Domenech‑Acabá sexually exploited a female minor, who was 15 years old at the time. The evidence showed that he used a cellular phone and internet messaging services to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce the minor to engage in sexual activity for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct.

During trial, the government presented testimony and digital evidence establishing that, using cellphones and other devices, Domenech‑Acabá produced images and videos depicting a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He also possessed images and videos of the minor and of other minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, which he kept in a secured folder on his cellular phone.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Yariel Ramos, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.

Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daynelle Álvarez‑Lora and Emelina Agrait Barreto of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking, and Immigration Unit prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A man was arrested on May 12, 2026, in the state of Minnesota on criminal charges related to child exploitation.

According to court documents, in August 2024, Roberto Gadiel León-López, then 19, transported a then 13-year-old female minor, from her house to another location, with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

An investigation was initiated by law enforcement authorities related to this incident and, on April 15, 2026, a federal Grand Jury returned a one count indictment charging León-López with transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(a). An arrest warrant was issued and, on May 12, 2026, León-López was arrested in Minnesota following a traffic stop. The defendant had his initial appearance on May 13 and is scheduled to have a detention and identity hearing on Monday, May 18, 2026, in Minnesota. He is expected to be transferred to the District of Puerto Rico after the scheduled hearings for further criminal proceedings.

“Our dedicated team of prosecutors, victim witness coordinators, and support personnel will continue to work with our equally dedicated law enforcement partners to combat child exploitation and to bring these offenders to justice,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We will prosecute criminals who exploit our children to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Protecting children from exploitation and abuse remains one of the FBI’s highest priorities,” said Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “This arrest reflects the relentless work of our agents and law enforcement partners to identify offenders, locate them wherever they may be hiding, and ensure they are brought to justice. The FBI will continue to aggressively pursue the protection of vulnerable children and prosecution of those who would seek to harm them.”

If convicted, Roberto Gadiel León-López faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum penalty of up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI is investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elba Gorbea is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On May 4, 2026, United States District Court Judge Gina Méndez-Miró sentenced Juan Edgardo Negrón-Navarro to 360 months (30 years) in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for two counts for sexual exploitation of children, and one count of interstate threat communications. Negrón-Navarro, 28, from Jayuya, Puerto Rico, was indicted on June 26, 2025, arrested on July 2, 2025, and pleaded guilty on December 5, 2025.

According to court documents, from in or about April 2023 to in or about May 2023, Negrón-Navarro did knowingly employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a female minor between 15 and 16 years old (Minor 1) to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct. The defendant produced sexually explicit images of such conduct.

Additionally, from in or about September 2024 to in or about November 2024, Negrón-Navarro did knowingly employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, and coerce another female minor while she was 17 years of age (Minor 2), to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct. At the same time, the defendant produced sexually explicit images of such conduct.

Moreover, on or about August 3, 2024, Negrón-Navarro, through the Internet, threatened to kill an adult female if she did not send him sexually explicit images.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Carlos Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.  

The FBI investigated the case with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau.

Assistant US Attorney (AUSA) Emelina Agrait-Barreto of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney, in conjunction with our partner agencies in the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) announce the following investigative and prosecutorial results for the week of May 4 through May 10, 2026.  The HSTF is a permanent, interagency law enforcement task force created by executive order to combat transnational criminal organizations—including cartels, trafficking networks, and foreign terrorist organizations.

Indictments:

• On May 6, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment charging (1) Charlie G. Marval-Henríquez (Venezuelan); (2) Jhoan Alexander Rodríguez-Núñez (Venezuelan); and (3) José Abraham Rodríguez-Núñez (Venezuelan) with conspiracy and attempt to import cocaine. Marval-Henríquez is also facing one count for re-entry of a removed alien. Jhoan Alexander and Josué Abraham Rodríguez-Núñez are both facing one count of improper entry by alien. According to court documents, in April 2026, the defendants knowingly and intentionally imported into the United States, from Colombia and other places, five kilograms or more of cocaine. Specifically, on April 29, 2026, HSTF seized approximately 643.3 kilograms of cocaine that the defendants were smuggling in a vessel. Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Camille García-Rivera is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 7, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a 27 count superseding indictment charging (1) Douglas Antonio Fernández-Rodríguez (Venezuelan); (2) Eurices Gómez-Quijada (Venezuelan); (3) Oswaldo Bermúdez-Sánchez (Venezuelan); (4) Jesús Antonio Bougrat-Ramos (Venezuelan); (5) Jesús Mata-Gómez (Venezuelan); (6) Luis Quijada-Martínez (Venezuelan); (7) Alan Ibarra-Ibarra, a.k.a. “Alans/El Colombiano” (Venezuelan); (8) Primitivo Meregildo-Vargas, a.k.a. “El Viejo/El Jefe” (Dominican); and (9) Ramón Antonio Mejía-Meregildo, a.k.a. “El Barbero,” (Dominican) with conspiracy and importation of cocaine from Venezuela and other places, into Puerto Rico. All defendants are charged with knowingly entering or attempting to enter the United States illegally. Specifically, on or about March 11, 2026, HSTF seized approximately 709.1 kilograms of cocaine from a vessel that crashed on the shores of Vieques following a pursuit by law enforcement. United States Coast Guard Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Cody A. McKinney is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

Convictions through Guilty Pleas:

• On May 5, 2026, Frank Quiñones-Boria pleaded guilty to drug trafficking in CR Case 22-327 (PAD). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with knowingly and intentionally possessing with intent to distribute and distribute heroin, cocaine base (crack), cocaine, and marijuana at the Pedro Rosario Nieves Public Housing Project in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, and other areas nearby. All in violation of Title 21, U.S.C.§§ 841(a)(1), 846, and 860.  Defendant was arrested on July 27, 2022. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for August 8, 2026. AUSA Corinne Cordero is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 5, 2026, Raul Quiñones-Boria pleaded guilty to drug trafficking in CR Case 22-327 (PAD). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with knowingly and intentionally possessing with intent to distribute and distributing heroin, cocaine base (crack), cocaine, and marijuana at the Pedro Rosario Nieves Public Housing Project in Fajardo, PR, and other areas nearby. All in violation of Title 21, U.S.C.§§ 841(a)(1), 846, and 860. Defendant was arrested on July 27, 2022. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for August 8, 2026. AUSA Corinne Cordero is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 7, 2026, Calin Hernández-Valdez pleaded guilty to Count One in CR Case 25-484 (RAM).  According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with reentry of a removed alien after an aggravated felony conviction. Defendant was arrested on November 14, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for August 5, 2026. SAUSA Steven Liong-Rodríguez is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 7, 2026, Usbardo Trinidad-Hungría pleaded guilty to Count One in CR Case 26-027 (GMM).  According to the superseding indictment, the defendant was charged with an illegal reentry offense. On January 5, 2026, Trinidad-Hungría was remanded to the custody of the U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement by the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections after Defendant finished serving a sentence at the Bayamón Regional Jail for violations of the Puerto Rico Firearms Law. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for August 7, 2026. AUSA Manuel Muñiz-Lorenzi is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 8, 2026, Julio Torres-Roche pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 300 to 400 grams of cocaine and the possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking in CR Case 25-392 (SCC).  He also pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute a detectable amount of cocaine in case 25-345 (GMM). According to the indictment in CR Case 25-392 (SCC), the defendant was charged with conspiring to distribute controlled substances in public housing projects and other areas in and around Cayey, Puerto Rico, and using firearms in furtherance of that drug trafficking. In CR Case 25-345 (GMM), he was charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Defendant was arrested on December 3, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for August 20, 2026. AUSAs Vance Eaton and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 8, 2026, Zael Lao-Ortiz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 200 to 300 grams of cocaine and the possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking in CR Case 25-392 (SCC).  According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to distribute controlled substances in public housing projects and other areas in and around Cayey, Puerto Rico, and using firearms in furtherance of that drug trafficking. Lao-Ortiz was arrested on October 6, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for August 20, 2026. AUSAs Vance Eaton and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 8, 2026, Jonathan Ortiz-Martínez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 200 to 300 grams of cocaine in CR Case 25-392 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to distribute controlled substances in public housing projects and other areas in and around Cayey, Puerto Rico. Defendant was arrested on October 7, 2026. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for August 20, 2026. AUSAs Vance Eaton and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 8, 2026, Michael Jovan Rodríguez-Cruz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances in CR Case 25-272 (SCC).  According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, cocaine base (crack), marihuana, and fentanyl, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes in several public housing projects in San Juan. The court set defendant’s sentencing for August 6, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 8, 2026, Maycol A. Franco pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes in CR Case 25-272 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, cocaine base, marihuana, and fentanyl, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes in several public housing projects in San Juan. The defendant was arrested on July 10, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing for August 6, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 8, 2026, Jorge L. Carmona Gil pleaded guilty to all charges in the Indictment namely, Count One: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and Distribute in excess of 5 kilos of Cocaine aboard a vessel of the United States; Count Two: Possession with the intent to distribute in excess of 5 kilos of Cocaine aboard a vessel of the United States and Aiding and Abetting; Count Three: Conspiracy to import cocaine in excess of 5 kilos of Cocaine; and Count Four: Attempted Importation in excess of 5 kilos of Cocaine and Aiding and Abetting in case 24-132 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with these above drug trafficking crimes. Defendant was arrested on March 22, 2024. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for August 6, 2026. AUSA Luis A. Valentín is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

Sentencings:

• On May 4, 2026, Rodolfo Brunet-González was sentenced by Judge Camille L. Vélez-Rivé to a three-year term of probation for conspiring with another person to transport into and receive in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico a firearm from out of State via the United States Postal Service (USPS) mail without being a licensed importer, manufacturer, dealer or collector of firearms.  Defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on September 18, 2025, in CR Case 25-389 (CVR), and pleaded guilty on February 3, 2026. AUSA Pedro R. Casablanca is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 5, 2026, Sem Monge-Parrilla was sentenced by Chief Judge Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach to 60 months of imprisonment and 8 years of supervised release for participating in drug trafficking in and near the Jardines de Sellés Public Housing Project. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on May 8, 2024, in CR Case 24-170 (RAM), and pleaded guilty on February 4, 2026. AUSAs Joseph Russell and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 5, 2026, Ernesto Caraballo was sentenced by Chief Judge Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach to 96 months of imprisonment and 8 years of supervised release for participating in drug trafficking while armed in and near the Jardines de Sellés Public Housing Project. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on May 8, 2024, in CR Case 24-170 (RAM), and pleaded guilty on February 4, 2026. AUSAs Joseph Russell and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 6, 2026, [2] Marcos Antonio Ventura-Martínez was sentenced by Judge Silvia L. Carreño-Coll to a 30 month term of imprisonment (with no term of supervised release) for drug trafficking crimes, including Count One: Conspiracy to import cocaine in excess of 5 kilos of Cocaine; Count Two: Importation in excess of 5 kilos of Cocaine and Aiding and Abetting; Count Three: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and Distribute in excess of 5 kilos of Cocaine aboard a vessel of the United States; and Count Four: Possession with the intent to distribute in excess of 5 kilos of Cocaine aboard a vessel of the United States and Aiding and Abetting. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on October 2, 2024, in Criminal case #24-376 (SCC), and pled guilty to all four charges on February 4, 2026. AUSA Luis A. Valentín is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 6, 2026, defendant Rafael Emilio Pérez-Pichardo, a 66-year-old Dominican Republic national, was sentenced by Chief Judge Raúl Arias Marxuach to two years’ probation for illegal reentry of removed alien after having been previously removed from the United States following a felony conviction, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a) & (b)(1). In 1990, the defendant was convicted in New York of manslaughter and sentenced to an indeterminate sentence of 5 to 15 years of imprisonment. In 2003, he was removed from the United States. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on June 4, 2025, in CR Case 25-262 (RAM), and pleaded guilty on February 5, 2026.  AUSA Elba Gorbea was in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 7, 2026, Omar Antonio Contreras-Mendoza was sentenced by Chief Judge Raúl Arias Marxuach to 70 months of imprisonment for conspiring to distribute 339 kilograms of cocaine knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that the controlled substance would be imported into the United States. Because the defendant was detained in Colombia pending extradition, the Court credited 20 months and 8 days, resulting in a sentence of 49 months and 22 days of imprisonment. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on October 5, 2022, in CR Case 22-435 (RAM), and pleaded guilty on May 15, 2025. AUSA Camille García Jiménez was in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 7, 2026, Eduardo Berríos-Sepúlveda was sentenced by Chief Judge Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach to 96 months of imprisonment and 8 years of supervised release for participating in drug trafficking while armed in and near the Jardines de Sellés Public Housing Project. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on May 8, 2024, in CR Case 24-170 (RAM), and pleaded guilty on January 8, 2026. AUSAs Joseph Russell and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 7, 2026, Luis A. Quijano-Cruz was sentenced by Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll to a term of imprisonment of 18 months and supervised release term of 5 years for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on February 22, 2024, in CR Case 24-069 (SCC), and pled guilty to the charge on April 24, 2025.  AUSA María Cristina Semanaz is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 7, 2026, Erick Leandro Calderón-Soler was sentenced by Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán to 87 months of imprisonment for drug-trafficking charges regarding movement of cocaine from Colombia to the United States. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on May 4, 2023, in CR Case 23–178 (MAJ) and pleaded guilty on February 11, 2026. AUSA Antonio Perez is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 8, 2026, Fedor Vovk and Aleksei Kondratev were sentenced by Judge Camille Vélez-Rivé to a term of imprisonment of time served (equal to seven months) for conspiracy to bring in illegal aliens at a place other than a designated port of entry. According to court documents, the defendants were charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on November 6, 2025, in CR Case 25-471 (CVR), and pleaded guilty on February 6, 2026. SAUSA Steven Liong-Rodríguez is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 8, 2026, Michael García-Torres was sentenced by Judge Silvia Carreño Coll to 108 months (9 years) of imprisonment to be followed by 6 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes in several public housing projects in San Juan. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on June 11, 2025, in CR Case 25-272, and pleaded guilty on February 18, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz González and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 8, 2026, [1] Jonathan Ramaza Sanabria was sentenced by Judge Pedro A. Delgado-Hernández to a 120 month (10 years) term of imprisonment and a supervised release term of five years for drug trafficking crimes, including Count One: Conspiracy to import cocaine in excess of 5 kilos of Cocaine; Count Two: Importation in excess of 5 kilos of Cocaine and Aiding and Abetting; Count Three: Possession with intent to distribute in excess of 5 kilos of cocaine; and Count Four: Possession with the intent to distribute in excess of 5 kilos of cocaine and Aiding and Abetting. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on July 7, 2022, in CR Case 22-304 (PAD), and pleaded guilty to all four charges on February 7, 2026. AUSA Luis A. Valentín is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On May 8, 2026, defendant Juan Enrique Feliciano-Torres was sentenced by Judge Gina R. Méndez-Miró to 66 months of imprisonment and 3 years’ supervised release for a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances containing a detectable amount of Fentanyl and possession of a Glock Pistol G27, .40 caliber, loaded with ammunition, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  According to court documents, the defendant signed a Waiver of Indictment and pleaded guilty to Counts One and Two of an Information filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Puerto Rico on February 6, 2026, in CR Case 26-050 (GMM). Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Edwin Cabán Jr. from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal indictment was unsealed today in the District of Puerto Rico charging six defendants with 23 counts of racketeering—murder, drug trafficking, money laundering, and firearms violations, committed in furtherance of a transnational criminal organization based out of Añasco, Puerto Rico, that engaged in large-scale drug trafficking in coordination with Venezuela, Colombia, and Dominican Republic sources of supply, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.

“This indictment not only alleges crimes of violence but also alleges that these offenses were committed openly and brazenly, and innocent members of the community were killed,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “These crimes have no place in our society, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are fully committed to bringing perpetrators to justice and making our communities safer.”

“This operation demonstrates the relentless commitment of the Homeland Security Task Force, and our law enforcement partners to dismantle violent transnational criminal organizations operating in Puerto Rico and beyond,” said Rebecca González-Ramos, HSI San Juan Special Agent in Charge. “This fourth phase of the operation builds on years of investigative work to ensure that dangerous criminal leaders, including Rodríguez-Cumba and his associates, remain behind bars while HSI and its partners continue targeting the drug trafficking, violence, and money laundering networks threatening our communities.”

“This organization operated through violence, intimidation, and the false confidence that they were beyond accountability,” said Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “Today’s operation demonstrates that no criminal network is untouchable when law enforcement components work together with focus, persistence, and a shared commitment to protecting the people. The FBI and our Homeland Security Task Force partners remain committed to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling the individuals and financial networks that enable this violence to persist in Puerto Rico.”

According to the indictment, the transnational criminal organization (hereinafter the Enterprise) was involved in narcotics trafficking and money laundering. The Enterprise also committed and attempted to commit violent acts, including murder and assault. To further their narcotics trafficking operation, the Enterprise used boats to import multi-kilogram shipments of cocaine from Colombia, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic into Puerto Rico and subsequently into the continental United States. In order to promote the Enterprise, they laundered and used the drug proceeds to purchase weapons and ammunition, purchased real estate properties, rented properties for the purposes of storing narcotics, purchased vessels, and motor vehicles, amongst other things.

Also, according to the indictment, members of the organization committed acts of violence to further the objectives of the Enterprise. These acts of violence served to promote and enhance the prestige, reputation and position of the Enterprise amongst rival criminal organizations; protect members and associates from law enforcement and rival drug trafficking organizations and preserve and protect their operation. The following murders are part of the charged racketeering acts:

On or about April 15, 2020, [1] Manuel Antonio Valentín-Vega was kidnapped by rival drug traffickers for a ransom.  Valentín-Vega was eventually released by the kidnappers. Afterwards, Valentín-Vega sought to murder those that he believed were responsible for the kidnapping, including F.S.C.V. and J.M.S.R, by putting out contracts for their murder.

1. On or about May 21, 2020, in Añasco, PR, believing that F.S.C.V. was in an identified vehicle, J.A.A.F. (deceased) drove two other members of the Enterprise (not charged herein), who fired upon the vehicle, killing Y.M.H.R. (the consensual partner of F.S.C.V.) and R.T.H. (Y.M.H.R.’s eight-year-old daughter).
2. On or about October 9, 2020, in Mayagüez, PR, two members of the Enterprise (not indicted herein) shot and killed E.F.S.O. (the neighbor of F.S.C.V.).
3. On or about October 15, 2020, in Mayagüez, PR, members of the Enterprise (not charged herein) shot and killed F.S.C.V. and E.S.C. (an individual staying in the same residence as F.S.C.V.)
4. After the murder of Y.M.H.R. and R.T.H., J.A.A.F. began to cooperate with Commonwealth of Puerto Rico authorities in the homicide prosecutions of members of the Enterprise. Cooperating Witness J.A.A.F. also identified [2] Rafael Ángel Ruiz-Garcés as one of the individuals who participated in the murders of Y.M.H.R. and R.T.H. Upon learning of J.A.A.F.’s cooperation with authorities, [1] Valentín-Vega put a contract out for the murder of J.A.A.F.  On October 5, 2021, J.A.A.F. was shot and killed.
5. O.D.R. was a member of the Enterprise and a rival within the Enterprise of [5] Luis J. Irizarry-Zapata. [5] Irizarry-Zapata told another member of the Enterprise (not charged herein) that O.D.R. wanted to kill [1] Valentín-Vega and [2] Ruiz-Garcés. [5] Irizarry-Zapata then ordered a member of the Enterprise to kill O.D.R. On March 31, 2022, that member of the Enterprise shot and killed O.D.R.
6. On or about April 14, 2022, in the Middle District of Florida, at the direction of [5] Irizarry-Zapata, a member of the Enterprise (not charged herein) shot and killed J.M.S.R. (one of the kidnappers of [1] Valentín-Vega).

In addition to the murders listed above, the indictment includes several racketeering acts, to wit: conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, importation of cocaine into the United States, attempted importation of cocaine into the United States, witness retaliation conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy.

The indictment also charges 22 additional counts, including: racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, importation of cocaine into the United States, attempted importation of cocaine into the United States, murders in-aid-of racketeering, witness retaliation conspiracy,possession firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, money laundering conspiracy, and unlawful monetary transactions over $10,000.

The charged defendants occupied different roles in the Enterprise, to wit, principal leaders, lieutenants, money launderers, transporters, and enforces. The defendants are:

[1] Manuel Antonio Valentín-Vega, a.k.a. “Nano/El Viejo”, (Counts 1-16, 17-19, and 21)

[2] Rafael Ángel Ruiz-Garcés, a.k.a. “Pito Rancho/Pito/El Flaco”, (Counts 1-4, 7, 18, and 19)

[3] César E. Carrero-Martínez, a.k.a. “Waldy”, (Counts 1-9, 18, 20, 22, and 23)

[4] Jonathan Hernández-Ruiz, a.k.a. “Tan”, (Counts 1-4, 6, 9, and 18)

[5] Luis J. Irizarry-Zapata, a.k.a. “Luijo”, (Counts 1, 2, 4, 17, and 18)

[6] Luis F. Rivera-Quiñonez, a.k.a. “Nino”, (Counts 3, 4, and 6)

The defendants are facing racketeering and narcotics forfeiture allegations that include the potential forfeiture of the following assets:

1. “Game Changer” - a 2002 Viking, 55-foot vessel
2. “Kay” - a 2020 Boston Whaler, 38-foot vessel
3. Property located in Guayabo Ward of the municipality of Aguada
4. Property located at Caracol Ward of the municipality of Añasco
5. Property located at Piñales Ward of Añasco
6. Property located at Boquerón Ward, El Combate Sector, in the municipality of Cabo Rojo

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Antonio L. Pérez-Alonso and Ryan McCabe from the Asset Recovery, Money Laundering, and Transnational Organized Crime Section are in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted, the defendants face up to life in prison. Defendants [1] Manuel Antonio Valentín-Vega and [5] Luis J. Irizarry-Zapata are eligible for the death penalty.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On April 30, 2026, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging a San Juan woman with providing false statements to the FBI.  According to court documents, Joely Rodríguez-Villega, 28, willfully and knowingly made materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements and representations in a matter within the jurisdiction of the executive branch of the Government of the United States, all in violation of Title 18, USC, Section 1001.  Rodríguez-Villega is charged with lying to FBI Agents regarding her whereabouts during the evening hours of March 29, 2024.

The defendant made her initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mariana Bauzá of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Carlos Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI made the announcement.

The FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Department are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Díaz-González and Joseph Russell from the Gang Section are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney, in conjunction with our partner agencies in the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) announce the following investigative and prosecutorial results for the week of April 27 through May 3, 2026.  The HSTF is a permanent, interagency law enforcement task force created by executive order to combat transnational criminal organizations—including cartels, trafficking networks, and foreign terrorist organizations.

Indictments:

• On April 30, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging Jhon Dennis Guerrero-Trotman, Jaime José Marval-Gutiérrez, José Gregorio Pereira-Orfila, and Héctor Gregorio Jiménez-Herrera with conspiracy and importation of cocaine, and conspiracy to possess and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to court documents, in April 2026, the defendants knowingly and intentionally imported into the United States, from Venezuela and other places, five kilograms or more of cocaine.  Specifically, on April 26, 2026, HSTF seized 48 packages that contained approximately 1,350.2 kilograms of cocaine.  Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Antonio J. López-Rivera is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On April 29, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging Douglas Antonio Fernández-Rodríguez with conspiracy and importation of cocaine from Venezuela and other places, into Puerto Rico. Fernández-Rodríguez is also charged with knowingly entering or attempting to enter the United States illegally. Specifically, on or about March 11, 2026, HSTF seized approximately 709.1 kilograms of cocaine. United States Coast Guard Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Cody A. McKinney is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On April 29, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging José Fernando Huggins-Figueroa with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, attempt to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime. Specifically, on April 22, 2026, HSTF seized 20 kilograms of cocaine. AUSA Camille García is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On April 29, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging Vilorio Camilo Polo-Padilla and Franklin Reyes with conspiracy to import cocaine, attempt to import cocaine, improper entry by alien, and re-entry of removed alien. Specifically, on April 17, 2026, HSTF seized 124 kilograms of cocaine.  AUSA Camille García is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

Convictions through Guilty Pleas:

• On April 29, 2026, Rosemary Santiago-Serrano pleaded guilty to Count One in CR Case 25-392 (SCC).  According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to distribute controlled substances in public housing projects and other areas in and around Cayey, Puerto Rico.  Defendant was arrested on September 26, 2026. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for July 29, 2026. AUSA R. Vance Eaton is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On April 28, 2026, Edwin Gabriel Vázquez-Colón, a.k.a. “Cuco”, pleaded guilty to Counts 1 and 7 in CR Case 24-170 (RAM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated in and around the Jardines de Selles Public Housing Project in San Juan, Puerto Rico and with being armed with a machinegun while doing so.  Defendant was arrested on April 24, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for July 27, 2026. AUSAs Andrés Orr and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On April 28, 2026, Christian Maldonado-López, a.k.a “Ninja,” pleaded guilty to Counts 1 and 6 in CR Case 23-353 (GMM).  According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated in and around Manatí, Puerto Rico and with being armed while doing so. Defendant was arrested on February 16, 2024. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for July 27, 2026. AUSAs
  Andrés Orr and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On April 28, 2026, César Tyron Villegas-Cintrón, pleaded guilty to Counts 1 and 6 in CR Case 23-353 (GMM).  According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated in and around Manatí, Puerto Rico and with being armed with a machinegun while doing so. Defendant was arrested on September 22, 2023. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for July 21, 2026. AUSAs Andrés Orr and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On April 28, 2026, Roberto Rodríguez-Payano pleaded guilty to Count One for violations to 21 U.S.C. Sections 959(a), 960(a)(3) & (b)(1)(B)(ii) and 963 in CR Case 22-520(RAM).  According to the Indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to manufacture and distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, a Schedule II Narcotic Drug Controlled Substance, intending, knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe that such mixture or substance would be unlawfully imported into the United States. Rodríguez-Payano was extradited from the Dominican Republic on August 21, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for July 28, 2026. AUSA Camille García is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

Sentencings:

• On April 27, 2026, Jey Xander Omar González-Díaz was sentenced by Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colón to a two-year term of probation for failing to report that he transported more than $10,000 into the United States. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on September 18, 2025, in CR Case 25-391, and pled guilty to the charge on January 14, 2026. Social Security Administration SAUSA Niranjan Emani is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On April 28, 2026, Daniel Rivera-Molina was sentenced by Judge Pedro A. Delgado to a term of imprisonment of time served (equal to six months) to be followed by a term of supervised release of one year for reentry of removed alien after an aggravated felony conviction. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on November 6, 2025, in CR Case 25-473 (PAD), and pled guilty to the charge(s) on March 23, 2026. Department of Homeland Security SAUSA Steven Liong-Rodríguez is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On April 27, 2026, Jayson Camacho-Rodriguez was sentenced by Judge Gina Mendez-Miro to time served for conspiring to distribute between 500 grams and 2 kilograms of cocaine. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on May 22, 2024, in CR Case 24-188 (GMM), and pled guilty to the charge(s) on January 26, 2026. AUSA R. Vance Eaton is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On April 27, 2026, Luis Laboy-Nadal was sentenced by Judge Gina Méndez-Miró to ten years of imprisonment for conspiring to distribute between 3.5 kilograms and 5 kilograms cocaine. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on May 22, 2024, in CR Case 24-188 (GMM), and pled guilty to the charge(s) on January 27, 2026. AUSA R. Vance Eaton is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On April 28, 2026, Ilia Martínez-Pagán was sentenced by Judge Gina Méndez-Miró to five years of imprisonment for conspiring to distribute between 500 grams and 2 kilograms cocaine. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on May 22, 2024, in CR Case 24-188 (GMM), and pled guilty to the charge(s) on January 27, 2026. AUSA R. Vance Eaton is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On April 28, 2026, Miguel Ángel Pastrana-Ríos was sentenced by Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán to 135 months of imprisonment and 5 years on supervised release for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distributing 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, a Schedule II Narcotic Drug Controlled Substance. According to court documents, the defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on February 27, 2025, in CR Case 25-012 (MAJ), and pled guilty to the charge(s) on September 25, 2025.

These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.

###

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On April 29, 2026, Air and Marine Operations, an operational component of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, interdicted a vessel, arrested three Venezuelan nationals, and seized 1,418 pounds (643.3 kilograms) of cocaine southeast of Puerto Rico.

“The U.S. Attorney’s office remains committed to the investigation and prosecution of transnational drug traffickers,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We will find them and bring them before the courts to face Justice.”

“Our teams demonstrated exceptional coordination and vigilance in intercepting this vessel and preventing a significant amount of dangerous contraband from reaching our shores,” said Christopher Hunter, Director of the Caribbean Air and Marine Branch. “This operation underscores our commitment to protecting the people of Puerto Rico and maintaining the integrity of our borders.”

At approximately 10:52 p.m. on April 28, 2026, an AMO Caribbean Air and Marine Branch Multi-Role Enforcement Aircraft detected a vessel of interest about 35 nautical miles southeast of Puerto Rico. The vessel, a 30-foot yola-type boat with two outboard engines, was observed with multiple fuel containers and suspected contraband aboard.

An AMO UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter kept surveillance while AMO Coastal Interceptor Vessels from Ponce and Fajardo moved to interdict the suspect vessel.

At approximately 12:58 a.m. April 29, 2026, AMO marine interdiction agents intercepted the vessel after agents fired two warning rounds that prompted the vessel operator to stop his vessel.

Charlie G. Marval-Henriquez, Jhoan A. Rodríguez-Núñez, and Josué A. Rodríguez-Núñez, Venezuelan nationals on board the vessel were taken into custody. Agents discovered multiple bricks of cocaine concealed within 20 black fuel containers. All three persons on board the vessel were charged pursuant to a criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute and importing cocaine.

The Homeland Security Task Force leads the investigation.

Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Camille García is prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.

###

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in San Juan, Puerto Rico, returned an indictment today charging Ramón Plaza-Gregory, Ileana Cortés-González, and Mo-Na-Co Biomedical & Environmental Corp. (Monaco) with five violations of the Clean Air Act as well as conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act. The charges relate to emissions from Monaco’s commercial incinerator in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, which is owned by Plaza-Gregory and operated by both Plaza-Gregory and Cortés-González.

According to the indictment, Monaco was permitted to incinerate pathological waste, subject to limitations on the type of materials that could be burned and the amount of emissions that could be released. Starting in August of 2021, Plaza-Gregory and Cortés-González burned unpermitted materials, used malfunctioning equipment, and exceeded emissions limitations. After an inspector from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) told the defendants of the violations, Plaza-Gregory began operating Monaco’s incinerator on weekends and holidays. The defendants continued to operate the incinerator illegally and emissions excesses were documented again in July 2024. In September 2024, Monaco’s emissions permit expired and was not renewed, yet the Defendants continued to operate the incinerator on weekends and cause emissions up until at least April of 2026.

“The Clean Air Act is a foundational piece of American environmental law, and when its clear guidelines are disregarded, we are committed to enforcing it,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) “Commonsense enforcement actions will help keep our communities healthy.”

“Ensuring that all residents of Puerto Rico enjoy a healthy environment free of hazardous waste and other pollutants is a top priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Department of Justice, and our federal and local partners,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “We remain committed to protecting our communities from environmental and health hazards.”

“Environmental crimes are not abstract or victimless crimes — they impact the health, safety, and quality of life of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Carlos R. Goris for the FBI's San Juan Field Office. “The FBI is committed to working with our partners to investigate these violations and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.”

“Monaco knowingly violated its Clean Air Act permit first by burning biomedical waste, and, once its permit lapsed completely, also continuing to burn pathological waste like animal carcasses. There is no telling what harmful pollution was emitted from improper and incomplete incineration,” said EPA’s Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Jeffrey A. Hall. “The company president deliberately concealed these violations by failing to record basic information about what was being burned, by not even maintaining a functioning temperature gauge, and by operating on weekends and holidays. Environmental protection depends on companies attempting to comply with the law in good faith, and these knowing and repeated violations and intentional evasion of Clean Air Act requirements justify criminal penalties.”

The Clean Air Act is the country’s primary tool to fight air pollution in an effort “to protect and enhance the quality of the Nation’s air resources so as to promote the public health.” In order to do so, polluting facilities are required to operate pursuant to permits that set limits on what, and how much, pollution can be emitted.

Both Plaza-Gregory and Cortés-González are scheduled to appear before Magistrate Judge Héctor Ramos of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico for their respective initial appearances. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and $250,000 in fines for each charge. Monaco faces a maximum penalty of $500,000 in fines per charge.

The case was investigated by the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI’s Aguadilla Resident Agency which participate in the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Environmental Crimes Task Force.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico.

Report possible violations of environmental laws and regulations at epa.gov/tips. You can provide tips anonymously if you do not want to identify yourself.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

A federal grand jury in San Juan, Puerto Rico, returned an indictment today charging Ramon Plaza-Gregory, Ileana Cortes-Gonzalez, and Mo-Na-Co Biomedical & Environmental Corp. (Monaco) with five violations of the Clean Air Act as well as conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act. The charges relate to emissions from Monaco’s commercial incinerator in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, which is owned by Plaza-Gregory and operated by both Plaza-Gregory and Cortes-Gonzalez.

According to the indictment, Monaco was permitted to incinerate pathological waste, subject to limitations on the type of materials that could be burned and the amount of emissions that could be released. Starting in August of 2021, Plaza-Gregory and Cortes-Gonzalez burned unpermitted materials, used malfunctioning equipment, and exceeded emissions limitations. After an inspector from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) told the defendants of the violations, Plaza-Gregory began operating Monaco’s incinerator on weekends and holidays. The defendants continued to operate the incinerator illegally and emissions excesses were documented again in July 2024. In September 2024, Monaco’s emissions permit expired and was not renewed, yet the Defendants continued to operate the incinerator on weekends and cause emissions up until at least April of 2026.

“The Clean Air Act is a foundational piece of American environmental law, and when its clear guidelines are disregarded, we are committed to enforcing it,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) “Commonsense enforcement actions will help keep our communities healthy.”

“Ensuring that all residents of Puerto Rico enjoy a healthy environment free of hazardous waste and other pollutants is a top priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Department of Justice, and our federal and local partners,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “We remain committed to protecting our communities from environmental and health hazards.”

“Environmental crimes are not abstract or victimless crimes — they impact the health, safety, and quality of life of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Carlos R. Goris for the FBI's San Juan Field Office. “The FBI is committed to working with our partners to investigate these violations and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.”

“Monaco knowingly violated its Clean Air Act permit first by burning biomedical waste, and, once its permit lapsed completely, also continuing to burn pathological waste like animal carcasses. There is no telling what harmful pollution was emitted from improper and incomplete incineration,” said EPA’s Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Jeffrey A. Hall. “The company president deliberately concealed these violations by failing to record basic information about what was being burned, by not even maintaining a functioning temperature gauge, and by operating on weekends and holidays. Environmental protection depends on companies attempting to comply with the law in good faith, and these knowing and repeated violations and intentional evasion of Clean Air Act requirements justify criminal penalties.”

The Clean Air Act is the country’s primary tool to fight air pollution in an effort “to protect and enhance the quality of the Nation’s air resources so as to promote the public health.” In order to do so, polluting facilities are required to operate pursuant to permits that set limits on what, and how much, pollution can be emitted.

Both Plaza-Gregory and Cortes-Gonzalez are scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Hector Ramos-Vega of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico for their respective initial appearances. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and $250,000 in fines for each charge. Monaco faces a maximum penalty of $500,000 in fines per charge.

The case was investigated by the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI’s Aguadilla Resident Agency which participate in the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Environmental Crimes Task Force.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico.

Report possible violations of environmental laws and regulations at epa.gov/tips. You can provide tips anonymously if you do not want to identify yourself.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

A Puerto Rico Man was charged and pleaded guilty yesterday for violating the Clean Water Act for construction and filling activities on a property in the las Mareas area of Salinas, Puerto Rico.

According to court documents, Orlando Rivera-Alejandro placed fill material in Mar Negro, within the waters of the United States, and within the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (JBNERR), despite knowing that the area was a federally protected reserve. Between January 2020 and March 2022, Rivera-Alejandro built multiple structures on top of the filled area, including a gazebo and a concrete boat ramp. He also constructed a dock and numerous concrete-filled PVC poles within Mar Negro, discharging concrete directly into Mar Negro during the construction. Rivera-Alejandro did not seek or receive approval to fill the area or to engage in construction within Mar Negro. At no point was Rivera-Alejandro permitted to do so.

As a part of the plea agreement, Rivera-Alejandro has agreed to pay a $50,000 fine and remove all structures and alterations to the property and to engage in remediation of the environmental harm, damage, and changes that altered the property from its natural state. Rivera-Alejandro is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 1.

The photographs below depict the property in May 2019 and in March 2022, demonstrating the illegal construction.

The JBNERR was designated as a reserve in 1981 to protect the wetlands and study the biological and societal impacts of estuarine habitat, as well as provide recreation and educational opportunities to local communities. The reserve is home to the endangered brown pelican, peregrine falcon, hawksbill turtle and West Indian manatee. Congress enacted the Clean Water Act in 1972 to protect and maintain the integrity of the waters of the United States. It prohibits the discharge of any pollutant and fill material into waters of the United States except when a permit is obtained from the United States.

This case is part of an ongoing investigation into the destruction of wetlands in Puerto Rico. Rivera-Alejandro is the sixth individual convicted for illegal construction within the JBNERR in recent years. Previously convicted individuals include Luis Enrique Rodríguez-Sánchez, sentenced in June 2024; Awildo Jiménez-Mercado, Rafael Carballo-Diaz, and Nathaniel Hernandez-Claudio, sentenced in September 2024; and Pedro Luis Bones-Torres, sentenced in March 2025.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, and U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI which participate in the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Environmental Crimes Task Force.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging José M. Ayala-Rivera, his brother Erick Osorio-Rivera, and Erick’s wife Bianca Vidal Vázquez-Millán with the unlicensed business of dealing in firearms, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) are in charge of the investigation.

According to the indictment, beginning on a date unknown but no later than October 2024 and up to August 2025, the defendants, not being licensed importers, manufacturers, dealers, and collectors of firearms, did knowingly conspire to transport into and receive in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico firearms purchased in the state of Massachusetts. The object of the conspiracy was to use the United States Postal Service to, covertly and without notice, transfer, trade, give, transport, and deliver firearms purchased or otherwise obtained outside of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to persons residing in Puerto Rico.

Defendants Osorio-Rivera and Vázquez-Millán acquired firearms in Massachusetts, where they resided, and arranged for them to be sent to Puerto Rico via the Priority Mail service from the U.S. Postal Service. Defendant Ayala-Rivera received the firearms in Puerto Rico and stored them in a residence.

All defendants are facing one count for: (1) conspiracy to receive firearms from out of state, (2) transfer firearms out of state, and (3) send firearms via a common carrier without written notice. Osorio-Rivera and Vázquez-Millán are facing one count for shipping a firearm without providing notice to the carrier. If convicted, each defendant faces a sentence of up to five years in prison.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; Jason Stankiewicz, Special Agent in Charge of ATF Miami Field Division; and Bladismir Rojo, Postal Inspector in Charge, Miami Division made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Pedro Casablanca and Jeanette M. Collazo-Ortiz, Chief of the Violent Crimes Section, are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A Puerto Rico Man was charged and pleaded guilty today for violating the Clean Water Act for construction and filling activities on a property in the las Mareas area of Salinas, Puerto Rico.

According to court documents, Orlando Rivera-Alejandro placed fill material in Mar Negro, within the waters of the United States, and within the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (JBNERR). Between January 2020 and March 2022, Rivera-Alejandro built multiple structures on top of the filled area, including a gazebo and a concrete boat ramp. He also constructed a dock and numerous concrete-filled PVC poles within Mar Negro, discharging concrete directly into Mar Negro during the construction. Rivera-Alejandro did not seek or receive approval to fill the area or to engage in construction within Mar Negro. At no point was Rivera-Alejandro permitted to do so.

As a part of the plea agreement, Rivera-Alejandro has agreed to pay a $50,000 fine and remove all structures and alterations to the property and to engage in remediation of the environmental harm, damage, and changes that altered the property from its natural state. Rivera-Alejandro is scheduled to be sentenced on September 1, 2026.

The photographs below depict the property in May 2019 and in March 2022, demonstrating the illegal construction.

The JBNERR was designated as a reserve in 1981 to protect the wetlands and study the biological and societal impacts of estuarine habitat, as well as provide recreation and educational opportunities to local communities. The reserve is home to the endangered brown pelican, peregrine falcon, hawksbill turtle and West Indian manatee. Congress enacted the Clean Water Act in 1972 to protect and maintain the integrity of the waters of the United States. It prohibits the discharge of any pollutant and fill material into waters of the United States except when a permit is obtained from the United States.

This case is part of an ongoing investigation into the destruction of wetlands in Puerto Rico. Previously convicted individuals include Luis Enrique Rodríguez-Sánchez, sentenced in June 2024; Awildo Jiménez-Mercado, Rafael Carballo-Diaz, and Nathaniel Hernandez-Claudio, sentenced in September 2024; and Pedro Luis Bones-Torres, sentenced in March 2025.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, and U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI which participate in the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Environmental Crimes Task Force.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico –Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested two men on criminal charges related to child exploitation conduct.

A federal grand jury indicted Alen Meléndez-Santiago on April 9, 2026, with three counts of sexual exploitation of children. According to court documents, from November 2025 to January 2026, defendant Meléndez-Santiago, 25, from Toa Baja, induced, enticed and coerced a 14-year-old female minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce child pornography. The defendant is charged with one count of production of child pornography, one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of receipt of child pornography.

If convicted, the defendant faces the following penalties: a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years up to 30 years in prison for production of child exploitation material; a maximum sentence of life in prison for the coercion and enticement of a minor; and a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years in prison for receipt and distribution of child exploitation material. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez-Lora of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case.

In a separate case, Edwin Méndez-Pérez, a 50-year-old man from Caguas, was arrested by HSI agents for child exploitation. On April 22, 2026, a federal grand jury indicted Méndez-Pérez with three counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, sexual exploitation of children, and receipt of child exploitation material.

According to the indictment, from August 2010 through May 2025, Méndez-Pérez knowingly used electronic devices as well as internet instant messaging services to induce, entice and coerce a female minor when she was between 11 and 15 years of age to engage in sexual activity. The defendant produced and received the child exploitation material.

If convicted, Méndez-Pérez faces the following sentences: 10 years up to life in prison for the coercion and enticement of a minor; 15 to 30 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of children; and a minimum of five up to 20 years in prison for the receipt of child exploitation material. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. AUSA Emelina M. Agrait-Barreto of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of those who sexually exploit children,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “I am grateful for the efforts of the investigators and prosecutors who continue to work tirelessly to investigate and prosecute those who harm children.”

“Child predators often disguise abuse as a “fun game” to lower a child’s guard - but there is nothing harmless about it. This is deliberate, calculated, predatory behavior. They exploit trust, manipulate innocence, and use every tactic available to target their victims - going so far as to pay to obtain what they want. Not on our watch. HSI remains vigilant, unwavering, and fully committed to protecting our children,” said HSI San Juan Acting Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos.

Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the cases.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – United States District Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll sentenced Nomar J. Mimbs-Machiavelo to 18 months in prison with $219,159.00 in restitution ($18,114.00 to the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources (related to PUA benefits) and $201,045.00 to the Puerto Rico Treasury Department (related to Business Interruption Grant benefits/bribery scheme), announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.

According to court documents, Nomar J. Mimbs-Machiavelo engaged in a scheme to defraud the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources by which he applied on two occasions for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits using false social security numbers. From June through July 2020, defendant Mimbs-Machiavelo willfully and knowingly stole Unemployment Insurance benefit payments to which he was not entitled, having a value of approximately $18,114.

In addition to the above, from January 2021 through May 2021, Mimbs-Machiavelo conspired with public officials at the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury (PRDT) to defraud the United States. As part of the conspiracy, the defendant bribed employees from the PRDT with money and free meals in exchange for privileged access to the Internal Revenue Unified System (“SURI” for its Spanish acronym) taxpayer information. With that SURI information, the defendant then submitted fraudulent applications to the Business Interruption Grant (BIG) program which provided assistance from the U.S. Treasury Coronavirus Relief Fund to eligible small businesses. In total, PRDT disbursed an approximate total of $492,045 into bank accounts because of the defendant’s fraudulent BIG program applications. Of the approximate total of $492,045, $148,000 are directly traceable to privileged information compromised by PRDT employees who modified the SURI authentication credentials of taxpayers for Mimbs-Machiavelo.

Mimbs-Machiavelo was arrested on May 23, 2023.  On April 3, 2025, the defendant plead guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and theft of government property, all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 641. 

The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Puerto Rico Police Department.

Special Assistant U.S. Vanessa D. Bonano-Rodríguez from the Social Security Administration prosecuted the case under the supervision of the Financial Fraud and Public Corruption Section.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney’s Office announced today the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between 14 State agencies for the continuance of the Proyecto de Seguridad y Educación para el Desarrollo de la Niñez (Security and Education Project for Child Development). Although not a signatory to the MOU, the United States Attorney’s Office collaborates closely with the signatory agencies to achieve the goals of the MOU on behalf of Puerto Rico’s children.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office reiterates our commitment to working with state and local agencies to improve the quality of life, well-being, development, and safety of our school-aged children and the community at large. By partnering with these agencies, we will be able to offer educational opportunities and workshops to students and continue our collective efforts to protect and serve the children of Puerto Rico through unity, trust, and respect,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.

The objective of the Security and Education Project for Child Development (hereinafter the Project) is to prevent and control high-risk behaviors that may be detrimental to the well-being of Puerto Rican youth. Likewise, the aim is to provide young people with tools to help them face the challenges inherent in adolescence, one of the most crucial stages of human development. The Puerto Rico Department of Education is the lead agency, and they will continue to coordinate efforts, share information and provide resources, along with their partner agencies, for the successful continuation of the Project.

The other Puerto Rico agencies signing the MOU together with the Puerto Rico Department of Education are: the Department of Justice, the Department of Health, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Department of the Family, the Department of Public Safety and its component bureaus: Puerto Rico Firefighters Corps Bureau (NCBPR), Puerto Rico Emergency Medical Services Corps Bureau (NCEM), Special Investigations Bureau (NIE), Emergency Management and Disaster Administration Bureau (NMEAD), 911 Emergency Systems Bureau (NSE911); the Puerto Rico Police Bureau; the Traffic Safety Commission; and the Office for Socioeconomic and Community Development.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Colombian authorities extradited Nixon Manuel Marino-Carreño from La Picota in Bogota, Colombia, to the United States to face drug trafficking charges filed in the District of Puerto Rico.

Nixon Manuel Marino-Carreño was arrested in Colombia on March 10, 2025 at the request of the United States, and extradited to Puerto Rico on April 17, 2026. According to court documents, beginning no later than May 2024, defendant Marino-Carreño, along with other coconspirators, imported and attempted to import cocaine from Venezuela and Colombia, into the United States. The defendant is also facing two counts of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Justice Department’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá and Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition to the United States of Marino-Carreño.

The FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are in charge of the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille García of the Asset Recovery, Money Laundering and Transnational Organized Crime Division is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow, FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlos R. Goris, and DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Martínez.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On April 14, 2026, José Julio Rodríguez-Cumba, a.k.a. “Chambi/Chembi/Josué/Chambo/Patrón,” pleaded guilty to running a continuing criminal enterprise.  Rodríguez-Cumba was charged by way of information. The Information charged the defendant with engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise from 2011 through May 2024.  Rodríguez-Cumba was arrested in the District of Puerto Rico on October 4, 2021. When sentenced, he will face a mandatory minimum term of 20 years in prison and up to life in prison.

According to court documents, Rodríguez-Cumba directed a large-scale drug trafficking organization (the Enterprise), that utilized land and sea transportation assets to import and distribute multi-hundred-kilogram shipments of cocaine from South America into Puerto Rico and the continental United States. The defendant admitted that he was responsible that more than 2,000 kilograms of cocaine that were going to be unlawfully imported into the United States and distributed as part of the Enterprise.

Rodríguez-Cumba made millions of dollars in profit from drug trafficking.  This defendant directed members of the enterprise to use violence, possess firearms, including machine guns for protection and in furtherance of the Enterprise.

From on or about July 2023 and continuing up to and until May 22, 2024, while in the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Guaynabo, Rodríguez-Cumba caused other individuals to introduce buprenorphine into MDC.

As part of the plea agreement, Rodríguez-Cumba agreed to forfeiture of various properties, including a luxury yacht - “El Ancla”, a 2014 Pershing, 62-foot vessel, and other assets including cash, real property, and personal property, as well as firearms. This investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Pedro A. Delgado-Hernández.

Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Ryan R. McCabe of the Asset Recovery, Money Laundering and Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On March 30, 2026, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Carlos Esteves-Salinas with 12 counts of unlawful activities of officers and employees in claims against and other matters affecting the Government, 12 counts of destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in federal investigations, and 12 counts of aggravated identity theft, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. This investigation was led by the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Southeast Region.

Defendant Carlos Esteves-Salinas, a Marine Inspector Senior Verifying Officer with the United States Coast Guard Sector San Juan, was arrested on April 14, 2026, for charges alleging that he unlawfully acted as an agent for individuals attempting to obtain merchant mariner credentials, obstruction of justice for falsifying merchant mariner application documents, and aggravated identity theft in connection with the application documents.

According to court documents, Esteves-Salinas accepted personal payment from merchant mariner credential applicants for his assistance in obtaining, completing, and submitting applications. Esteves-Salinas provided these services outside of his employment with the United States Coast Guard, and without the Coast Guard’s knowledge or consent.  Generally, federal employees are prohibited from acting as an agent for someone else, outside of their official duties, before a federal department or agency, in connection with a “particular matter” in which the United States has a direct and substantial interest, including preparing and submitting a federally regulated certification application, such as the merchant marine credential application.

According to the court documents, on at least twelve occasions, Esteves-Salinas used a counterfeit physician’s stamp and forged a physician’s signature to complete required medical certificates on behalf of his clients who were seeking merchant marine credentials.

“These charges highlight a grave disregard for the duties and standards expected of those in positions of authority,” said United States Attorney, W. Stephen Muldrow. “We remain dedicated to enforcing the law and maintaining accountability without exception.”

If convicted, Esteves-Salinas faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody A. McKinney from the U.S. Coast Guard is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On March 30, 2026, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Mario Guzmán with four counts of false statements, four counts of fraudulent claims against the United States, four counts of wire fraud, and four counts of theft of government property, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. This investigation was led by the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Southeast Region.

Defendant Mario Guzmán, an active-duty Petty Officer Second Class Maritime Enforcement Specialist in the United States Coast Guard (“USCG”) was arrested on April 1, 2026, for making a series of fraudulent Temporary Lodging Allowance claims and unlawfully receiving payments he was not entitled to receive.

According to the charges, on four separate occasions, Guzmán fraudulently claimed to the USCG, when applying for Temporary Lodging Allowance funds, that he and his family incurred reimbursable expenses by residing at a location called “Tony’s Place,” when in fact Guzmán and his family did not reside at Tony’s Place, or incur in the claimed expenses. By making the fraudulent claims, Guzmán illegally stole approximately $32,260.00 in USCG housing allowance funds that he was not entitled to receive.

“The charges announced today reflect a serious abuse of responsibility and trust,” said United States Attorney, W. Stephen Muldrow. “Members of our armed forces are held to the highest standards, and when those standards are violated, we will act decisively. No one is above the law.”

“The Coast Guard is built on the fundamentals of honor, respect, and devotion to duty,” said Assistant Director Joshua Packer, Coast Guard Investigative Service, “We demand accountability from every member, and we will not tolerate actions that compromise our mission or the public’s trust.”

If convicted, defendant Mario Guzmán faces a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody A. McKinney from the U.S. Coast Guard is in charge of prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On April 15, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging former track and field coach Miguel Ángel García-López, 29, from Carolina, Puerto Rico, for child exploitation, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. García-López was arrested on December 12, 2025, and is in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons.

According to court documents, from May 2025 to November 2025, Miguel Ángel García-López induced, enticed and coerced five female minors: two 13-year-old minors, one 14-year-old minor and two 15-year-old minors, to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce child pornography and/or transport a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. The defendant used his cellular phone to record the victims while communicating with them.  During the communications, the defendant requested sexually explicit images to the minors.  The defendant also recorded the minors while engaging in sexually explicit conduct with him.

If you think someone you know might be a victim of this defendant or any other predator, please report it so the proper authorities can investigate.

García-López is charged with four counts of production of child exploitation material; one count of coercion and enticement of a minor; two counts of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity/attempt; and one count of receipt of child exploitation material.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elba Gorbea of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, is prosecuting the case. FBI San Juan is in charge of the investigation.

If convicted for the charges the defendant faces the following penalties: production of child exploitation material - a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years; coercion and enticement of a minor - a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years up to life in prison; (3) transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity/attempt - mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years up to life; and receipt of child exploitation material – a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. All charges of conviction are to be followed by a term of supervised release after imprisonment of no less than 5 years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On April 9, 2026, U.S. District Court Judge Aida Delgado-Colón sentenced Félix Ebdiel Muñiz-Rivera to 240 months (20 years) in prison and 15 years of supervised release for sexual exploitation of two five-year-old female minors, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Muñiz-Rivera was indicted on August 28, 2025, arrested on August 29, 2025, and plead guilty on December 18, 2025.

According to court documents, Félix Ebdiel Muñiz-Rivera, 21, of Camuy, Puerto Rico, from June 2025, through in or about August 2025, did knowingly employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, and coerce two five year old female minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct, and the visual depiction was produced and transmitted using materials that have been mailed, shipped, and transported in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce, that is, a cellular phone device.

According to the facts admitted during the change of plea hearing, Muñiz-Rivera sexually assaulted two female minor victims and recorded the acts in his cellular phone. On August 7, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents received a duty call from the Police of Puerto Rico (POPR) regarding a potential child pornography case. This occurred while the POPR were at a Public Housing Project in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico, conducting a drug trafficking operation.  While at the scene, a POPR agent observed defendant Muñiz-Rivera engaging in what appeared to be a drug transaction. The officer went after the defendant, but he ran off, leaving his cellphone behind. The cellphone was unlocked and opened, and the agent was able to observe a video/image of a female infant, and close to the infant’s genital area, was a male adult genital member. Evidence obtained from a federal search warrant of defendant’s cellphone revealed another video produced by the defendant containing child sexual exploitation material with the two five-year-old female minor victims.

“The Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners will aggressively investigate and prosecute those criminals who exploit and harm children,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “I thank the dedicated Police of Puerto Rico and HSI agents and prosecutors who investigated and charged this case for their tireless efforts to protect the most vulnerable in our community. Exploitation of our children has no place in civilized society.”

HSI San Juan Acting Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos said: “Two decades behind bars underscore the profound gravity of crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. This 20-year sentence reflects not only the enduring harm inflicted on victims, but also our unwavering resolve to hold offenders fully accountable.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elba Gorbea of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, prosecuted the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI was in charge of the investigation, with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Today, FBI special agents arrested two men on criminal charges related to child exploitation conduct.

A federal grand jury indicted Elid Jesuel Pizarro-Morales on April 9, 2026, with six counts of sexual exploitation of children, receipt of child exploitation material, and possession of child exploitation material. According to court documents, Pizarro-Morales, 22, from Carolina, created and used an internet based social application account to communicate with male minors and solicited the male minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct to obtain sexually explicit images and videos.

In November 2025, the defendant induced, enticed and coerced four male minors, two 14 year old minors, a 12 year old minor, and a 13 year old minor, to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce child pornography. From August 2023 through February 2026, Pizarro-Morales knowingly possessed, and accessed with intent to view material containing images of child pornography, including child pornography of a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age, using an Apple iPad.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

In a separate case, Miguel Ángel Marquez-Rosario, a 43 year old man from San Juan, was arrested today by FBI agents for child exploitation. On April 9, 2026, a federal grand jury indicted Marquez-Rosario with two counts of transportation of child exploitation material and possession of child exploitation material.

According to the indictment, from February 2026 through March 2026, the defendant knowingly used electronic devices for possession and access with intent to view images of child exploitation material, including of a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.

If convicted, Marquez-Rosario faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

“There’s no greater priority than safeguarding our children from those who seek to exploit or harm them,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to continuing our joint efforts with our state, local, and federal partners to locate these offenders and ensure that they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Crimes against children are among the most serious violations we investigate,” said Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “The consumption of child sexual abuse material feeds a despicable industry that exploits innocent children. Every child deserves safety, and we won’t rest until every offender faces the full weight of federal law.”

The FBI is investigating the cases.

AUSA Emelina M. Agrait-Barreto of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting both cases.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On March 26, 2026, U.S. District Court Judge Aida Delgado-Colón sentenced Carlos Manuel Cotto-Cruz to 188 months (fifteen years and eight months) in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana, and heroin in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Following a five-day jury trial that concluded on March 14, 2025, the defendant was found guilty. At trial, the United States presented numerous witnesses to establish the defendant’s participation in the charged drug trafficking activities.

After a 6-month manhunt, on May 7th, 2021, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) apprehended Carlos M. Cotto-Cruz in el Gato Ward in Orocovis, PR. He had been hiding there since February 2021. During the execution of the arrest, agents found distribution amounts of narcotics, including heroin, cocaine, crack, fentanyl, prescription pills, and marihuana. Along with those drugs, officers also found tools of the drug trade, including 2 vacuum sealing machines, a cash counting machine, baggies of different sizes, thousands of vials and caps, and wrapping foil.

The sentence imposed by Judge Delgado-Colon is to run consecutively to any sentence imposed at the local level, as the defendant currently has pending murder charges in local court.

The Court also imposed a consecutive term of 24 months of imprisonment in connection with a revocation from a prior federal drug and firearms case from 2015, as defendant committed the new offense while on federal supervised release.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Assistant United States Attorneys Corinne Cordero, Joseph Russell, and Jeanette Collazo, Chief of the Violent Crime Division, prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On March 17, 2026, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging 52 gang members from the municipalities of San Juan, Morovis, and Cataño with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, possession and distribution of controlled substances, and firearms violations, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) San Juan Strike Force, with the collaboration of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) and Air and Marine Operations (AMO), the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Border Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Today during the arrests, the following agencies provided support: Puerto Rico National Guard, Guaynabo Municipal Police, Bayamón Municipal Police, and San Juan Municipal Police.

“Thanks to the great investigative work of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors, the important leaders, enforcers and other members of the violent gang are being taken off our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “These arrests reflect our steadfast determination to remove violent gangs from our communities.”

“This operation makes one thing absolutely clear, those who choose to spread violence and poison our communities will be relentlessly pursued and dismantled,” said Acting DEA SAC Evan Martínez. “There is no safe haven for criminal organizations in Puerto Rico. Together with our federal and local partners, we are applying every resource, every authority, and every strategy to hold these individuals accountable. We will not stop, we will not slow down, and we will not back off until our communities are safer and justice is served.”

The indictment alleges that from 2018 to the present, the drug trafficking organization distributed cocaine, marijuana, heroin, and fentanyl within 1,000 feet of the Los Lirios (San Juan), Jardines de Cataño (Cataño), Juana Matos (Cataño), El Coquí (Cataño), and Nemesio Rosario Canales (San Juan) Public Housing Projects (PHPs), and areas near those locations, all for significant financial gain and profit.

The object of the conspiracy was to distribute wholesale quantities and street amount quantities of controlled substances at those PHPs. At times, gang members would pool resources from different areas such as the Luis Lloréns Torres and the Vista Hermos PHPs, Barriada Figueroa and others within the municipalities of San Juan, Morovis, and Cataño. The organization referred to itself as “La Familia Nunca Muere” (The Family Never Dies) (hereinafter “LFNM”), also sometimes referred to as “Los Incorregibles” (The Incorrigibles) or “La Colectora” or “La Cole” (The Collectors). The defendants communicated with each other using two-way radios and cell phones, via instant messaging and social media. Members of LFNM promoted themselves, their narcotics, their firearms, their money, and their gang using social media. Some leaders who were incarcerated participated in meetings using contraband cellular phones, normally via video call.

It is alleged that members of LFNM participated in acts of violence, including shootings and murders, in response to mere perceived threats, without first verifying the veracity of the threats. The defendants carried out shootings and murders in public places, in broad daylight, and in the presence of innocent bystanders, including children. Shootings also took place in public establishments such as bars and nightclubs. During the commission of these shootings, LFNM members would often use bulletproof vests, gloves, face masks and other face coverings. At times, they would use stolen or carjacked cars to evade capture and arrest by law enforcement. The investigation, including investigation regarding murders committed by the gang, remains ongoing.

The defendants acted in different roles to further the goals of the drug trafficking conspiracy, including as leaders, suppliers, drug point owners, enforcers, runners, sellers, lookouts, and facilitators. Forty defendants are facing one charge of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and twenty-one of those defendants are facing one count of possession of a machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The defendants charged in the indictment are:

[1] Tomás Junior Sánchez-González, a.k.a. “Father/Boss/Patrón/Gemelo”
[2] Junior Tomás Sánchez-González, a.k.a. “Bere/Bereta/Gemelo”
[3] Jaime Vázquez-Román, a.k.a. “Tio/Tioito”
[4] Edwin Rivera-Pérez, a.k.a. “Bubu”
[5] Carlos D. Valladares-Díaz, a.k.a. “Dany/Lalo/Ojos Bellos/Ojos Lindos”
[6] Omar Matías-Martínez, a.k.a. “KTM”
[7] Duhamel J. Natal-González, a.k.a. “Banchi”
[8] Luis Joel Rivera-Torres, a.k.a. “Taly”
[9] Nestor N. González-Muñíz, a.k.a. “Silencio/Mudo”
[10] Randy Padilla-Fernández, a.k.a. “R”
[11] Tomás Niochar Sánchez-Feliciano, a.k.a. “Nio”
[12] Ángel De Jesús-Vasquez, a.k.a. Ángel De Jesús-Vázquez/El Negro/D.O.”
[13] Jonathan González-Agosto, a.k.a. “Tatán”
[14] Israel J. González-Rosado, a.k.a. “Kiko”
[15] Saúl Rodríguez-Serrano, a.k.a. “Patroncito”
[16] Javbdiel López-Paz, a.k.a. “Dreki Malo”
[17] Luis Antonio Rosa-Hernández, a.k.a. “Menor de Fajardo”
[18] Luis Isander Medina-Vázquez, a.k.a. “Sugar/Flaco/Trenzas”
[19] Kevin M. Rijos-Sepúlveda, a.k.a. “Yeezy”
[20] Jorge S. Rodríguez-Rivera, a.k.a. “Gallero”
[21] John Michael Rentas-Rivera, a.k.a. “Dálmata”
[22] Gabrielle Eliud Delgado-Garay, a.k.a. “Kayak/KK”
[23] Pedro Antonio Barreto-Martínez, a.k.a. “Pedrito/Mago/Maguito”
[24] Pedro A. Polanco-Febus
[25] Yadiel Daniel Rosario-Castro, a.k.a. “Papote”
[26] Jeancarlos Reynoso-Peralta, a.k.a. “Domi/Greña”
[27] Jordanish Manuel Torres-Villegas, a.k.a. “Mutombo”
[28] John Huertas-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Casque”
[29] Giann Luis Rijos-Sepúlveda, a.k.a. “Yeesy/Yisi/Yeezysito”
[30] Freddy Maldonado-Castillo, a.k.a. “Sonrisa/Sonri”
[31] Carlos Rosario-Reyes, a.k.a. “Carlos Papi”
[32] Yahir Armando Ayala-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Duende”
[33] Yecdiel Daniel-Oliveras, a.k.a. “Chagui”
[34] Josten Anthony Ramos, a.k.a. “Justin Ramos/Prosper”
[35] Carlo André Díaz-Sepúlveda, a.k.a. “Chavito”
[36] Adrián Gabriel Ramos-López, a.k.a. “ADN”
[37] Javier Colón-Oppenheimer, a.k.a. “Javielito/Javi/TT de Trastalleres”
[38] Adam Yadiel Díaz-Santiago, a.k.a. “El Menor”
[39] Joshua Yadie De Jesús-De Jesús, a.k.a. “Tokio/Yadiel”
[40] Jonathan Ramón González-Pérez, a.k.a. “Tripi/Cripi”
[41] Fabián O. Martínez-Maldonado, a.k.a. “Dreki Bueno/Draky Bueno”
[42] Noriel Iván Alvarado
[43] Joseph Colón-Pagán, a.k.a. “Canito”
[44] Elliott Francis Correa-Martorell, a.k.a. “Ele”
[45] Adin Jafet Cruz-Sastre, a.k.a. “J”
[46] Pauliana Santiago-Vega
[47] Yatniel Iván Ramos-Borrero, a.k.a. “Chama”
[48] Miguel Sánchez-Reyes, a.k.a. “Cabe”
[49] Ronny Arias-Paulino, a.k.a. “Karate”
[50] Elvin Josué Jiménez-De la Rosa, a.k.a. “Bin”
[51] Jomar Rashid Torres-Torres, a.k.a. “Jomo/Yomo”
[52] Juan Gianny Rodríguez-Tosado, a.k.a. “Guasy”

Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Gang Section Alberto López-Rocafort, Deputy Chief of the Gang Section, AUSA Teresa Zapata-Valladares, AUSA Joseph Russell, and AUSA María López-Aponte are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

If convicted on the drug charges, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life in prison. If convicted of both the drug and firearms charges in Count Four, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life in prison. The defendants charged with possession of machineguns in furtherance of drug trafficking in Count Five face a mandatory sentence of thirty years in prison to be served consecutively to any sentence imposed on the drug trafficking charges. All defendants are facing a narcotics forfeiture allegation of $12,796,800.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On March 25, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Rafael Ángel Méndez-Nieves, a 51-year-old man from Bayamón, Puerto Rico, for child exploitation and weapons charges, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. On March 26, 2026, Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested Méndez-Nieves.

According to court documents, from on or around May 2025 to on or around March 2026, Rafael Ángel Méndez-Nieves knowingly received and distributed child exploitation material using his cellular phone. Méndez-Nieves was in possession of and transported child images of child exploitation material, including child exploitation material depicting a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age, using his cellular device. In addition to the child exploitation charges, the defendant was charged with illegally possessing a Taurus Caliber .380 Model PT738 firearm, and 13 rounds of ammunition, after he had been convicted of a crime punishable for a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to continuing our joint efforts with our state, local and federal partners to identify these offenders and ensure that they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “I thank the dedicated HSI agents and prosecutors who investigated and charged this case for their tireless efforts to protect the most vulnerable in our community.”

“This arrest demonstrates the dedication and expertise of HSI agents and forensic analysts, whose meticulous investigative work was vital in identifying and gathering crucial evidence. Their advanced skills in digital forensics enabled us to uncover and document nearly 2,000 files of child sexual abuse material, including disturbing images and videos of minors, some as young as infants. The gravity of this case highlights the significance of our mission and our unwavering commitment to securing the evidence necessary to bring offenders to justice. We remain steadfast in our efforts to protect children and ensure those responsible are held fully accountable,” said HSI San Juan Acting Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Emelina Agrait Barreto of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, is prosecuting the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI is in charge of the investigation.

If convicted for the charges the defendant faces the following penalties: (1) distribution/receipt of child exploitation material - a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; (2) transportation of child exploitation material - a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; (3) possession of child exploitation material - a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and (4) possession of a firearm by a prohibited person – a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. All charges of conviction for the child exploitation offenses are to be followed by a term of supervised release after imprisonment of no less than 5 years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
 

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On March 19, 2026, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a four-count indictment charging a Guaynabo man with kidnapping and carjacking a United States Postal Service letter carrier.

According to court documents, on or about November 25, 2025, Ariel Ayala Meléndez, 59, willfully seized, confined, kidnapped, abducted and carried away K.L.V.G., a United States Postal Service letter carrier while he was performing his official duties. The defendant compelled the victim, at knifepoint and against his will, to drive the postal vehicle from San Juan to the vicinity of Camino Paco Galán in Guaynabo, thereby restraining and holding the victim against his will, until K.L.V.G. crashed said vehicle to escape.

“Violent attacks on federal employees will not be tolerated,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “This indictment demonstrates that, along with our law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to holding accountable those responsible for acts of violence that terrorize local communities and those who serve those communities.”

“The most important job of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is the safety of our employees,” said Bladismir Rojo, Inspector in Charge of the Miami Division. He added, “This arrest is a result of the determined efforts exhibited by our postal inspectors, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners.”

Ayala Meléndez is charged with the following counts: (1) kidnapping or impeding certain officers or employees; (2) assault on a federal employee with a dangerous weapon; (3) robbery of a mail custodian; and (4) carjacking. The defendant made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Giselle López Soler of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison for count one; up to 20 years in prison for counts two and three; and up to 15 years in prison for count four. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is the lead agency of the investigation with the collaboration of the FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Department.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Edwin Cabán Jr. from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On March 5, 2026, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Edwin Navarro-Artavia and Kyria Navarro-Santiago for conspiracy to commit money laundering. This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion.

According to court documents, Edwin Navarro-Artavia, 59, and Kyria Navarro-Santiago,34, of San Juan, utilizing several real estate businesses, including Navarro & Assocs. LLC, Navarro & Associados Corp., and YVS Homes LLC, facilitated the laundering of narcotics proceeds through the sale of real estate properties throughout Puerto Rico. Kyria Navarro-Santiago is a licensed real estate professional, but Edwin Navarro-Artavia is not licensed.

To accomplish the objectives of the money laundering scheme, the defendants and their co-conspirators would find sellers willing to sell their homes to buyers in a cash or other type of undisclosed transaction, while agreeing to leave any mortgage balance in the name of the seller. Buyers would often use drug proceeds to make down payments to sellers. Then, the buyers would use drug proceeds to pay off the remaining mortgage balance. At times the buyers would deliver the money, in cash, to defendants Edwin Navarro-Artavia and Kyria Navarro-Santiago, who would make the mortgage payments on behalf of the buyer. On occasion, Navarro-Artavia and Navarro-Santiago would further the conspiracy by placing the homes in their names, while leaving the mortgage in the name of the seller, and pay down the mortgage on behalf of the drug-trafficking buyer with drug proceeds. The defendants would also register homes purchased with drug proceeds in the names of straw purchasers, who had no legitimate connection to the real estate transaction other than the use of their identity for the purpose of concealing the true purchaser of the home. In addition, the defendants opened personal and business bank accounts to receive, deposit and transfer drug proceeds, and to fund expenditures related to properties involved in the illicit money laundering transactions. They also used peer-to-peer mobile electronic payment systems to transfer proceeds from person-person to avoid detection and further the conspiracy.

The indictment includes 23 real estate purchases of residential properties in several municipalities in Puerto Rico. The indictment also includes a money laundering forfeiture allegation of $3,300,000 and 21 real properties. This case is related to criminal case 23-273 (PAD), United States vs Nelson Torres-Delgado, a.k.a. “El Burro”, and 51 other defendants.

“These defendants and their drug trafficking associates exploited the financial system to launder their drug proceeds and acquire real properties. Financial institutions must remain vigilant to these types of schemes and report suspicious activity as required by federal law,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “Sellers who facilitate these transactions and allow real properties and mortgages to remain in their names expose themselves to liability, as well.”

“Financial crimes are not victimless crimes. This case is an example of how on many occasions, these are enabling violent criminal enterprise operations, which have a direct impact on the quality of life of our communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge, Claudia Dubravetz, of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “Let this be a warning to those who think they can hide egregious criminal activity behind complex financial transactions. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will follow the evidence to the end, and you will face justice. If you work in a financial institution, and see something, say something—don’t become an accomplice by facilitating the scheme.”

The defendants are charged with one count of participating in a money laundering conspiracy. They are scheduled for their initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Giselle López Soler of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI and ATF are in charge of the investigation of the case with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections, the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury (Hacienda), the Puerto Rico Police Department and the San Juan Municipal Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Vance Eaton is prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Dominican Republic authorities extradited Pedro J. Espinal-Arthur to the United States to face drug trafficking and money laundering charges filed in the District of Puerto Rico, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. In a separate indictment, defendant Luis Febles-Peralta was also extradited to Puerto Rico to face drug trafficking and money laundering charges. Germán E. Arredondo-Peralta, brother of Febles-Peralta, was arrested in Puerto Rico for money laundering.

Pedro J. Espinal-Arthur was arrested in the Dominican Republic on January 13, 2026, and extradited to Puerto Rico on March 11, 2026. According to court documents, from in or about April 2021 to in or about January 2022, Espinal-Arthur conspired and agreed with others to conduct and attempt to conduct financial transactions affecting interstate and foreign commerce, that is, delivering drug proceeds in cash, converting the cash-drug proceeds into cryptocurrency, and transferring cryptocurrency, knowing the transactions were designed to conceal the nature and control of the drug proceeds.

The second indictment charges Luis Febles-Peralta and Germán E. Arredondo-Peralta with money laundering conspiracy. Febles-Peralta was arrested in the Dominican Republic on January 13, 2026, and extradited to Puerto Rico on March 11, 2026. According to court documents, from January 2022 to July 2022, the defendants conspired and agreed with others to conduct and attempt to conduct financial transactions affecting interstate and foreign commerce, that is, delivering drug proceeds in cash, converting the cash-drug proceeds into cryptocurrency, and transferring cryptocurrency, knowing the transactions were designed to conceal the nature and control of the drug proceeds. Febles-Peralta and Arredondo-Peralta are facing a money laundering forfeiture allegation of $2,741,560.

Luis Febles-Peralta is also facing drug trafficking charges, that is, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, attempted importation of cocaine, and distribution for purpose of unlawful importation of cocaine. 

If convicted of the charged narcotics offenses, the defendants face a mandatory minimum term of 10 years and up to life in prison. If convicted of the money laundering charges, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI is in charge of the investigation of both cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Anderson is in charge of the prosecution of both cases.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Claudia Dubravetz.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition to the United States of Pedro J. Espinal-Arthur and Luis Febles-Peralta.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Adrián García Hernández pleaded guilty on March 10, 2026, to introducing adulterated animal drugs into Puerto Rico, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.

According to court documents, Adrián García-Hernández, 50, of Dorado, Puerto Rico pleaded guilty to one count of introducing adulterated animal drugs into interstate commerce, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §331(a) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). The adulterated animal drugs being imported into the United States by García-Hernández were not approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

García-Hernández, who is not a licensed veterinarian in Puerto Rico, caused 50 boxes of “Equiet Xilacina 10%,” commonly referred to as “xylazine,” among other animal drugs, to be mailed from Bogota, Colombia to Puerto Rico via Federal Express. The shipment was detained and seized by United States Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) officers on October 22, 2024.

García-Hernández also caused 23 boxes of “Equiet Xilacina 10%,” to be mailed from Bogota, Colombia to Puerto Rico via Federal Express, which were detained and seized by CBP on November 20, 2024.  García-Hernández is scheduled by sentenced by District Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán on June 9, 2026.

In a separate case, on December 5, 2025, Waldemar Ojeda Ramos, 49, of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico pleaded guilty to one count of delivering adulterated animal drugs for payment and one count of misbranding of animal drugs in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 331(c) and (k) of the FDCA. According to the plea agreement, Ojeda Ramos, who is not a licensed veterinarian, sold ten vials of xylazine, 50 ml, on March 30, 2023. The ten vials of xylazine included five vials of Procin, a prescription animal drug containing xylazine manufactured in Mexico, and five vials of Xilazil, a prescription animal drug that contained xylazine manufactured in Argentina.

Ojeda Ramos also sold nine vials of xylazine, 50 ml, on October 4, 2023, including Xilacina and Xilapet, which are prescription animal drugs containing xylazine manufactured in Mexico. Neither Procin, Xilazil, Xilacina, nor Xilapet are approved for veterinary use in the United States by the FDA. Ojeda Ramos is scheduled to be sentenced by District Judge Francisco A. Besosa on March 23, 2026.

Xylazine is a non-opiate sedative, analgesic, and muscle relaxant commonly known as “tranq”. FDA-approved xylazine is used as an analgesic and as a preanesthetic to local and general non-human anesthesia, and as such, any animal drugs that contained xylazine are prescription drugs, available only by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.  While xylazine is not approved for use in humans, it has been detected in the illicit drug supply and in human drug overdoses. Xylazine is not shown to be safe for use in humans and has resulted in serious and life-threatening side effects. As a result, FDA issued Import Alert 68-20 on February 28, 2023, to prevent finished drug products containing xylazine from entering the United States market.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico (USAO-DPR) and its law enforcement partners remain committed to enforcing import laws like the FDCA which protect the United States and Puerto Rico from public health and safety risks. The FDA, DEA, and CBP investigated these cases which are being prosecuted by FDA Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyrsten L. Melander.

The USAO-DPR, FDA, DEA, and CBP coordinated this action through the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, a cross-agency law enforcement effort that also involves the Criminal and Civil Divisions’ Fraud Sections, the Environment and Natural Resources Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. The Task Force was created to leverage all of the Department’s tools and authorities to prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force is designed to pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud, including utilizing the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act or through the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at CorporateWhistleblower@usdoj.gov using the form available here.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Today, the third and last defendant was sentenced for the attempted armed robbery of an employee of JC Jewelers Inc., a company doing business as Oro Centro, a commercial entity that operated pawn shops and jewelry stores in Puerto Rico.

According to court documents, on July 13, 2015, at approximately 6:50 p.m., the victim, an employee for Oro Centro Pawn Shops, was transporting gold from the pawnshops in the company van which was to be delivered for transport in interstate commerce to the continental United States. While driving on Highway 22 near the exit for Luis Muñoz Rivera in Santurce, Puerto Rico, close to the Minillas Tunnel, a white car crashed into the victim’s van. The van’s occupants began shooting at the victim. The victim was struck multiple times by gunshots fired by the assailants. The victim shot back injuring another assailant. The assailants fled without completing the robbery.

The assailants were:

1. Josué Pilarte-Suárez: arrested on July 17, 2015, plead guilty on June 20, 2017, and was sentenced on May 19, 2025. He served approximately nine years in prison.
2. Luis Resto-Cruz: arrested on October 19, 2018, plead guilty on December 1, 2025, and was sentenced on February 27, 2026. He served approximately eight and a half years in prison.
3. Rafael Hernández-Maldonado: arrested on December 14, 2021, plead guilty on December 15, 2025, and was sentenced on March 6, 2026, to serve seven and 1/2 years (78 months) in prison.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Claudia Dubravetz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan made the announcement.

The FBI investigated the case with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeanette M. Collazo-Ortiz, Chief of the Violent Crimes and National Security Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Alum prosecuted the case.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Today, four individuals were arrested by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on criminal charges related to child exploitation. On February 26, 2026, a federal grand jury returned four separate indictments charging four individuals for child exploitation, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.

The defendants arrested today are:

1. Héctor Rafael Cuadrado-Abadía, 44, of Caguas, PR
2. Héctor Luis Olmedo-Burgos, 27, of Naguabo, PR
3. Frederick Jesús Pinto-Rodríguez, 23, of Yabucoa, PR
4. Daniel Delgado-Delgado, 31, of Yabucoa, PR

According to court documents, all the defendants knowingly possessed, received and distributed child pornography using their cellular devices. The four defendants are facing two counts each: (1) receipt/distribution of child exploitation material, and (2) possession of child exploitation material.

“There’s no greater priority than safeguarding our children from those who seek to exploit or harm them,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to continuing our joint efforts with our state, local and federal partners to locate these offenders and ensure that they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

“This investigation exposed the disturbing reality behind the exchange of child sexual abuse material - individuals sharing explicit images of minors without remorse and revictimizing those children every time those images are circulated,” said Yariel Ramos, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI. “Today we shut down that chat with a clear message: if you exploit our children, you will go to jail.”

If convicted, the defendants face the following sentences: (1) receipt and distribution of child exploitation material - a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; (2) possession of child exploitation material - a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant US Attorney (AUSA) Elba Gorbea, of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit, is prosecuting the cases.

For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit iGuardians™: Combating Child Predators  and to denounce suspicious activities call 787-729-6969.

For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from online sexual abuse, visit https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardians.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On February 25, 2026, after a three-day jury trial, Luis Ángel Domenech‑Acabá was found guilty of two counts of child exploitation: production and possession of child pornography. United States District Court Judge Aida Delgado Colón presided over the trial.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Yariel Ramos, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, announced that, according to the evidence presented at trial and reviewed by the jury, Domenech‑Acabá sexually exploited a female minor from in or about September 2017 to in or about September 2018. The evidence showed that he used a cellular phone and internet messaging services to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce the minor to engage in sexual activity for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct.

“Protecting children from sexual exploitation is one of our highest priorities,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. “This verdict sends a clear message that those who exploit minors and trade in child sexual abuse material will be held fully accountable and face significant consequences for their crimes.”

“This verdict brings hope for all the victims that suffered unbelievable pain caused by this individual who was a trusted adult close to the family. Now that our law enforcement efforts brought him to justice, the victims can now focus on their healing process. HSI will continue collaborating with our local partners to identify and process those who prey on our children,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos.

During trial, the government presented testimony and digital evidence establishing that, using cellphones and other devices, Domenech‑Acabá produced images and videos depicting a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He also possessed images and videos of the minor and of other minors in sexually explicit conduct, which he kept in a secured folder on his cellphone.

For production of child pornography, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison; for possession of child pornography, he faces up to 20 years. Sentencing is scheduled for May 14, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. The defendant was ordered detained in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons pending sentencing.

Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daynelle Álvarez‑Lora and Emelina Agrait Barreto of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking, and Immigration Unit prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On February 26, 2026, U.S. District Court Judge Aida Delgado-Colón sentenced Ángel Ramdyel Edwards to 72 months (six years) in prison followed by five years of supervised release for using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.

According to court documents, on June 23, 2025, a female victim was on Route 829 in Bayamón, PR, when she noticed a vehicle following her. The female victim saw the vehicle speed past her and simultaneously cut her off in the middle of the lane. Defendant Ángel Ramdyel Edwards exited the passenger side of the vehicle, pointed a gun at the victim’s head, ordered her out of her vehicle and took off with her vehicle.

The victim stopped a car traveling on the road and asked the driver for help, informing the driver she had just been carjacked. The victim called 911, reported that she had just been carjacked and told the operator that she had witnessed her own vehicle drive past. Puerto Rico police officers responded and attempted to conduct a vehicle stop. The defendant fled at a high rate of speed and crashed while attempting to evade officers. Shortly thereafter police arrested the defendant.

The defendant was indicted on July 2, 2025. On November 20, 2025, Edwards plead guilty to one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Claudia Dubravetz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI San Juan made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation was in charge of the investigation with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department.  Special Assistant United States Attorney Luis Rivera-Méndez from the Puerto Rico Department of Justice prosecuted the case.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On February 23, 2026, United States District Court Judge Pedro A. Delgado sentenced Juan Carlos Cruz-Hernández to 24 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and restitution of $32,000 for his role in a bribery and wire fraud conspiracy and scheme to defraud the Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP), announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Three other defendants were previously charged alongside Cruz-Hernández; two are scheduled to be sentenced in March 2026, and one is awaiting trial.

The four defendants were indicted on July 17, 2024, and arrested on July 18, 2024. Juan Carlos Cruz-Hernández plead guilty on May 6, 2025, to conspiracy to commit bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds, federal program bribery, conspiracy to commit wire fraud deprivation of honest services of a public official, and wire fraud deprivation of honest services.

Defendant Juan Carlos Cruz-Hernández negotiated and made bribe payments to multiple public DTOP employees working in the regional driver service centers (CESCO) located in Caguas and Carolina, Puerto Rico.  During the bribery scheme, approximately $66,000 was paid by Juan Carlos Cruz-Hernández to multiple DTOP employees.  These bribe payments were made in exchange for certain official acts, including accessing DTOP-CESCO information, obtaining duplicate documentation, and eliminating driver and vehicle fines. The DTOP employees were responsible for accessing driver and vehicle information, and among other things, possessed the ability to remove driver and vehicle fines.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Yariel Ramos, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.

Homeland Security Investigations was in charge of the investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Christine Amy from the Financial Fraud & Public Corruption Section prosecuted the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On February 24, 2026, United States District Court Chief Judge Raúl Arias Marxuach sentenced Selena Crespo Dumeng to 10 months in prison and two years of supervised release, for her role in a conspiracy to provide contraband in prison, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.

The defendant was indicted on July 18, 2024, along with seven co-defendants, and arrested on July 22, 2024. On November 11, 2025, the defendant plead guilty to conspiracy to provide contraband in prison.

According to court documents, from July 2023 and continuing up to May 22, 2024, Crespo-Dumeng and others conspired to provide prohibited objects, specifically, controlled substances, to inmates housed at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Guaynabo. The defendant and others did this by utilizing the United States Postal Service and other third parties to introduce controlled substances -- buprenorphine strips (Suboxone) -- disguised as legal mail to inmates. The controlled substances were hidden concealed in documents inside purposely built pockets or laced into the documents themselves. Defendant Crespo Dumeng acted as an intermediary providing payments for the smuggling of drugs into MDC.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Claudia Dubravetz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI San Juan made the announcement.

FBI San Juan was in charge of the investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Vance Eaton and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlos J. Romo Aldea from the Puerto Rico Department of Justice prosecuted the case.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico –On February 19, 2026, United States District Court Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colón sentenced Joseph Payne Pabón to life in prison for a federal crime that arose from the carjacking-murder of Eulalia Combas-Sancho, an 82-year-old retired professor, on January 7, 2020, in the municipality of San Juan.

On June 20, 2025, a jury determined, according to court documents and evidence presented at trial, that Joseph Payne Pabón, a 33-year-old homeless man, entered the home of Eulalia Combas Sancho with the intent to take her Hyundai Sonata vehicle. The defendant found the victim in her backyard weeding. In order to take her vehicle, Payne-Pabón hit her the back of the head with a cement block causing multiple injuries that resulted in her death. Payne-Pabón had an extensive criminal history and had been in prison multiple times.

“This life sentence rightly holds the defendant responsible for the pain and suffering he inflicted on his victim and her family,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.  “Anyone who commits cold-blooded crimes of violence in violation of federal law will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law by the Justice Department and this office. I commend the agents and officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, the Puerto Rico Police Department, and federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the tireless efforts and outstanding work, from the beginning of the investigation of the carjacking and murder of the victim to the sentencing.”

“Yesterday’s life sentence imposed on violent criminal and murderer Joseph Payne-Pabón represents the only just outcome and brings a measure of closure to the victim’s family and loved ones. ATF Puerto Rico remains steadfast in its commitment to investigating violent crime throughout Puerto Rico & the U.S. Virgin Islands and has a long and distinguished record of bringing dangerous offenders like Payne-Pabón to justice in federal court,” said Jason Stankiewicz, Special Agent in Charge of ATF Miami Field Division. “I commend the dedicated ATF Special Agents and Task Force Officers, including our partners from the Puerto Rico Police Department, as well as the prosecutors from the United States Attorney’s Office, for their outstanding work over the course of several years. Their unwavering commitment and tireless efforts were instrumental in securing this conviction. In 2025, following extensive trial proceedings, a jury of Payne-Pabon’s peers returned a guilty verdict, leading to yesterday’s sentence and ensuring accountability under the law.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with the assistance of the Puerto Rico Police Department, the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, and the Puerto Rico Institute of Forensic Sciences. The FBI also collaborated in the analysis of phone location data, and the citizens of Puerto Rico provided information that secured the conviction and sentence of this individual.

Assistant United States Attorney Jeanette Collazo, Chief of the Violent Crimes and National Security Section at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney César Rivera-Díaz prosecuted the case.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On February 12, 2026, United States District Court Judge María Antongiorgi Jordan sentenced Melvin E. Rivera-Oliveras to 57 months in prison and five years of supervised release, and restitution for his role in a bank fraud scheme involving fraudulent point of sales (POS) transactions. Rivera-Oliveras utilized a company called Rossy Sport Bar Panorámico, LLC to further the bank fraud scheme. Rossy Sport Bar Panorámico, LLC pleaded guilty and was sentenced on January 15, 2026. 

According to court documents, from 2020 to 2025, Melvin E. Rivera-Oliveras executed a scheme and artifice to defraud multiple federally insured financial institutions in Puerto Rico. Rivera-Oliveras attempted to conduct numerous fraudulent refund transactions for more than $7 million using multiple debit cards at various companies that he managed and operated.

After acquiring point of sale (POS) systems, Rivera-Oliveras conducted fraudulent refund transactions and was able to gain temporary access to the funds and to spend a portion of the funds that did not belong to him. In total, Rivera-Oliveras successfully submitted over 20 fraudulent refund transactions and illegally obtained over $680,000 as a result of the fraud scheme. Rivera-Oliveras was previously convicted and served jail time for felony violations involving forgery, larceny, and misappropriation of funds.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Claudia Dubravetz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation was in charge of the investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Christine Amy from the Financial Fraud & Public Corruption Section prosecuted the case.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Jadhiel Andrés Cedeño-Gómez, a 22-year-old man from Carolina, Puerto Rico, was arrested on criminal charges related to child exploitation, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. On February 12, 2026, Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested Cedeño-Gómez.

According to court documents, from December 2025 to February 2026, Jadhiel Andrés Cedeño-Gómez used a cellphone, online instant messaging services, and social media to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a 7-year-old male minor to engage in sexual activity.  Cedeño-Gómez was also found to possess and receive child pornography material on his cellular device. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elba Gorbea of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, is prosecuting the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI is in charge of the investigation.

If convicted for the charges the defendant faces the following penalties: (1) coercion and enticement of a minor - a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years up to life in prison; (2) receipt of child exploitation material - a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and (3) possession of child exploitation material - a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. All charges of conviction are to be followed by a term of supervised release after imprisonment of no less than 5 years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging José Amaurys Torres-Abreu, 28, of Vieques, PR, for child exploitation.

According to court documents, in or about November 2025, José Amaurys Torres-Abreu transported a 14-year-old female minor with intent that the victim engage in sexual activity.  The defendant knowingly persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced the 14-year-old female minor, to engage in sexual activity, for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense.

Torres-Abreu is facing one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor.

The defendant had his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Giselle López-Soler of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted for the charges of coercion and enticement and transportation of minor to engage in illicit sexual conduct, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

“There are no cases more important for the Department of Justice and the Puerto Rico U.S. Attorney’s Office than crimes against children. Those who prey on our children will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We commend the work of the federal and state law enforcement authorities whose thorough work led to these federal charges being filed today.”

“The sexual exploitation of a minor is a serious federal crime that carries significant consequences. There is no gray area and no island too remote when it comes to conduct that violates the law and harms children,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBIs San Juan Field Office, Claudia Dubravetz. “The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate these offenses and work with our partners to ensure those responsible are identified, charged, and held accountable.”

The FBI is investigating the case with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau.

Assistant US Attorney (AUSA) Elba Gorbea of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On February 10, 2026, United States District Court Judge Gina R. Méndez-Miró sentenced David Montes-García, 49, from San Juan to 12 years in prison and 15 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography. David Montes-García was indicted on February 20, 2025, and arrested on October 15, 2025.

According to court documents, from August 2023 to June 2024, Montes-García knowingly possessed sexually explicit images and videos of minors and minors engaging in sexual acts, including images of infants and prepubescent minors or minors who had not attained 12 years of age. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Human Exploitation Investigation Group executed a search warrant on Montes-García’s mobile device and found a total of 367 images, including pictures and videos of infants, prepubescents minors, and adolescents engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

The defendant plead guilty on October 9, 2025, to one count of possession of child pornography. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez-Lora of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, prosecuted the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI was in charge of the investigation, with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department.

In a second unrelated case, on February 5, 2026, defendant Derek Orengo-Delgado, of Ponce, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colón, to 13 years and 4 months in prison for transportation of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity. According to court documents, in January 2025, Orengo-Delgado knowingly transported a 15-year-old female minor to a motel in Juana Díaz to engage in sexual activities and had taken sexually explicit images of the minor. Defendant Orengo-Delgado was indicted on May 7, 2025, arrested on May 8, 2025, and pleaded guilty on October 23, 2025.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenifer Y. Hernández Vega, Chief of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Section, prosecuted the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI was in charge of the investigation, with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Yariel Ramos, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations San Juan made the announcement.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – U.S. District Court Judge Camille Vélez-Rivé sentenced Byron Andújar-Ramos to 17 years and six months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for sexual exploitation of a female minor, who is deaf and mute, when she was 12 to 14 years old, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Andújar-Ramos was indicted on November 25, 2024, arrested on December 9, 2024, and plead guilty on November 10, 2025.

According to court documents, in or about June 2022 to in or about August 2024, Byron Andújar-Ramos used a cellular phone, as well as internet instant messaging services, to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a female minor between the ages of 12 and 14 years old to engage in sexual activity.

According to the facts admitted during the change of plea hearing, from June 2022 to August 2024 Andújar-Ramos engaged in a sexual act with the female minor victim. In a cellular phone used by the victim, HSI special agents found a WhatsApp chat between the minor and defendant Andújar-Ramos. The communications were sexually explicit. In the communications, the defendant persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced the female minor victim to engage in sexual activity. Andújar-Ramos wrote that he wanted to make love to her, told her he was in love with her, requested to engage in sexually explicit video calls with the female minor, asked her to call him through video camera, asked the victim if she wanted to have sexual activity with him, and asked her if she wanted to see his privates.

“The Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners will aggressively investigate and prosecute those criminals who exploit and harm children,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “I thank the dedicated HSI agents and prosecutors who investigated and charged this case for their tireless efforts to protect the most vulnerable in our community. Exploitation of our children has no place in civilized society.”

HSI San Juan Acting Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos said: “The court’s decision to impose a significantly higher sentence than initially agreed upon underscores the seriousness of these crimes and the unwavering commitment of our justice system to protect vulnerable victims. This outcome sends a clear message: those who commit such heinous acts will face severe consequences. HSI San Juan remains steadfast in our pursuit of justice and in supporting survivors every step of the way.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez-Lora of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, prosecuted the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI was in charge of the investigation, with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

# # #

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – British Virgin Islands authorities extradited Francis Hidalgo-Cedano to the United States to face drug trafficking charges filed in the District of Puerto Rico, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Hidalgo-Cedano was arrested in the British Virgin Islands pursuant to a provisional arrest request by the United States on Nov. 5, 2025, and extradited to Puerto Rico on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.

“This extradition is another important step in our fight against drug trafficking and transnational organized crime. This prosecution demonstrates the commitment of the Department of Justice, and our law enforcement partners, and the cooperation of international authorities to work together to bring drug traffickers to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “We will continue to maximize our multi-agency efforts to disrupt and dismantle international drug cartels that smuggle drugs into Puerto Rico and the continental United States.”

On January 28, 2026, the British Virgin Islands extradited Francis Hidalgo-Cedano, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, to the United States to stand trial in the District of Puerto Rico on charges related to the possession, importation, and distribution of cocaine.

According to court documents, in September 2023, law enforcement authorities in Puerto Rico observed a vessel being hauled out of the water by Hidalgo-Cedano and his co-conspirators. Concealed within the floor of the vessel were approximately 258 brick-shaped packages of cocaine with a gross weight of 305.4 kilograms. During the interaction with law enforcement authorities, Hidalgo-Cedano absconded, but left his boating license with law enforcement. British Virgin Islands authorities arrested Hidalgo-Cedano on immigration offenses and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) worked closely with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, and the Department of State to submit a provisional arrest request, in order to ensure the continued detention of Hidalgo-Cedano pending extradition.

On January 12, 2026, following Hidalgo-Cedano’s consent to extradition, the Governor of the British Virgin Islands issued an order granting Hidalgo-Cedano’s extradition to the United States.  The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked closely with the United States Marshals Service and provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition to the United States of Hidalgo-Cedano. 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney María Cristina Semanaz Ojeda under the supervision of Chief Myriam Y. Fernández-González and Deputy Chief María L. Montañez-Concepción from the Money Laundering & Transnational Organized Crime Section.

Francis Hidalgo-Cedano is charged with six counts of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspiracy and importation of cocaine, and conspiracy to possess and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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