News
Release
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May
10, 2010
Contact: Special Agent Waldo Santiago
Public Information Officer
(787) 277-4700
70
Individuals Indicted For Drug Trafficking
As A Result Of Joint DEA-ATF OCDETF Operation
Tower Kings
$65,000,000
In Forfeiture Allegations
MAY
11 -- (SAN JUAN, PR) – On
May 5, 2010, a federal grand jury indicted
seventy (70) individuals as a result of
a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
(HIDTA) – Organized Crime Drug Enforce
Task Force (OCDETF) investigation conducted
jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the
assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI), and the Puerto Rico Police Department
(PRPD) Carolina Strike Force Unit, announced
today DEA Special Agent in Charge Javier
F. Peña, Caribbean Division and
United States Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez,
District of Puerto Rico. Thirty-nine (39)
defendants were arrested today. The defendants
are charged in a six-count indictment with
conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute
heroin, crack, cocaine, marijuana, Oxycodone,
better known as Percocet and Alprazolam,
(Xanax). All defendants are charged with
conspiracy to possess and use firearms
during and in relation to a narcotics trafficking
offense. The forfeiture allegations total
sixty five million dollars ($65,000,000).
 |
 |
PRPD
and DEA Agent escort defendant to
holding site. |
DEA
SAC Javier Peña, ATF RAC Marcial
Felix, Governor Luis Fortuño,
PRPD Superintendent Jose Figueroa
and DEA ASAC Pedro Janer supervise
operation. |
The
drug trafficking organization, led by Harold
Figueroa Sánchez, aka “Casco,” aka “Gordo,” aka “Cabeza,” was
operating in the Torres de Sabana Housing
Project, since 2002. At that time, José López
Rosario, aka “Coquito,” had control
of a drug trafficking distribution point
located at Torres de Sabana. Upon Coquito’s
death, on July 28, 2006, Figueroa Sánchez
became the main leader of the drug trafficking
organization. Figueroa-Sánchez controlled,
through co-defendants also acting as leaders,
the drug distribution points located at Torres
de Sabana, as well as other areas in the
municipalities of Carolina and Loíza,
Puerto Rico.
 |
 |
DEA
special agents provide perimeter
security. |
DEA
and PRPD agents restrain defendant
who attempted to flee from arrest. |
The
seventy (70) co-conspirators had many roles,
in order to further the goals of the conspiracy,
including: six (6) leaders, two (2) suppliers,
four (4) enforcers, four (4) runners, fifty
(50) sellers, drug processors, look-outs,
and four (4) facilitators. They would use
the main lobby area of Building A, where
there is also a “head start,” at
the the Public Housing Project as their drug
distribution point.
As
alleged in the indictment, it was part of
the manner and means of the conspiracy that
some of the defendants and their co-conspirators
would use apartments located at Torres de
Sabana to store and prepare the narcotics
and to store firearms and ammunition. The
apartment was referred to as “the freezer,” because
it was equipped with a high capacity air
conditioning unit. The defendants also had
another apartment, referred to as “the
other freezer,” which was used to discuss
their drug trafficking activities and as
their leisure and entertainment center. This
apartment was equipped with air conditioning,
large flat screen television system, electronic
game consoles, sofa, and lounge chairs, among
other amenities.
“DEA
unique expertise in fighting drug trafficking
organization at all level was the key to
success in this OCDETF investigation” said
DEA Special Agent in Charge Javier F. Peña “DEA
joined forces with ATF in Operation Tower
Kings to break the lethal marriage between
drugs and guns which was causing the violent
crime wave in Torres De Sabana Public Housing
Project”
“Today’s
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force
(OCEDTF) operation was very important in
our efforts to fight violent drug trafficking
organizations in Puerto Rico,” said
Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez,
U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto
Rico. “The residents of Torres de Sabana
will once again be able to take their children
to the head starts and schools in their neighborhood,
without having to worry about the drug points
and the violence around them. Our commitment
to continue our efforts with our state counterparts
remains firm, the US Attorney’s Office
will not rest until all our citizens can
feel safe again.”
ATF
Resident Agent in Charge Marcial O. Felix
said: "ATF agents and Task Force Officers
worked long hours in partnership with other
Federal and State Officers to disarticulate
this violent drug trafficking organization
and bring safety and Peace to this neighborhood".
The
case is being prosecuted by Assistant United
States Attorney José Capó Iriarte
and Special Assistant US Attorney Alberto
López.
If
convicted, the defendants face a minimum
of ten (10) years imprisonment and a maximum
of life imprisonment, with fines of up to
$4 million. Criminal indictments are only
charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant
is presumed to be innocent until and unless
proven guilty.
###
View
the Indictment >>
View
the Organizational Chart >>
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