News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 22, 2010
Contact: SA Waldo Santiago
Public Information Officer
Number: (787) 277-4700

José Figueroa Agosto and 16 Other Individuals Indicted for Drug Trafficking as a Result of a Joint DEA, FBI and ICE Investigation

(L-R) ICE SAC Roberto Escobar, ICE Director John Morton and DEA ASAC Pedro Janer discuss details of the investigation which resulted in CCE charges against Jose D. FIGUEROA-Agosto and 16 members of his DTO.
(L-R) ICE SAC Roberto Escobar, ICE Director John Morton and DEA ASAC Pedro Janer discuss details of the investigation which resulted in CCE charges against Jose D. FIGUEROA-Agosto and 16 members of his DTO.
DEA and ICE agents executed 17 arrest warrants issued by a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Puerto Rico pursuant to a federal grand jury indictment targeting the DTO headed by Jose D. FIGUEROA-Agosto.
DEA and ICE agents executed 17 arrest warrants issued by a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Puerto Rico pursuant to a federal grand jury indictment targeting the DTO headed by Jose D. FIGUEROA-Agosto.

NOV 22 -- SAN JUAN, PR – On November 15, 2010. United States Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment against seventeen (17) individuals, including Jose David Figueroa Agosto, a.k.a. “Junior Capsula,” as a result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The defendants are charged in a twelve-count indictment with conspiracy to import narcotics into the United States, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and money laundering. The indictment also seeks to forfeit the proceeds obtained as a result of such offenses, up to an amount of one hundred million dollars.

The indictment alleges that from in or about 2005, the defendants conspired to import multi kilogram quantities of cocaine into Puerto Rico from places outside of the United States, mainly the Dominican Republic, all for significant financial gain and profit. The defendants also conspired to possess with intent to distribute the multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine in Puerto Rico. Co-conspirators assumed various roles within the drug trafficking organization in order to further the object of the conspiracy, including but not limited to: (a) leaders; (b) transporters; and (c) facilitators.

The leaders of this organization included José David Figueroa Agosto, a.k.a. “Junior Capsula,” José Miguel Marrero Martell, a.k.a. “Pito Nariz,” Jorge Luis Figueroa Agosto and Eddy Brito. It is alleged that the co-conspirators would smuggle hundreds of kilograms of cocaine into Puerto Rico from the Dominican Republic in private vessels. The narcotics would be distributed in Puerto Rico and the Continental United States, and part of the drug proceeds would also be smuggled from Puerto Rico to the Dominican Republic in bulk cash quantities.

The indictment further alleges that “transporters” of the organization were responsible for the transportation of narcotics into Puerto Rico on board private motor vessels. Many of the transporters purchased luxury motor vessels in order to transport the narcotics into Puerto Rico. The following co-conspirators acted as transporters in this organization: Diego Pérez Colón, Sixto Boschetti Dávila, Kareem Boschetti Dávila, Elier Martínez Delgado, Rafael Molina Padró, Ivan Crespo Talavera, Raúl González Díaz, Carlos Torres Landrúa, Hector Ramos Rosado, Jonathan Vega Berrios and Joel Vega Berrios. Gerardo Amaro Rodríguez acted as a facilitator assisting with the placement, layering and integration of the organization’s narcotics proceeds within legitimate economic and financial systems.

The defendants would attempt to create the appearance that their narcotics proceeds were legitimate by purchasing assets through the use of “straw owners” or “jockeys.” The defendants and their co-conspirators would purchase assets, utilize nominee bank accounts to deposit narcotics proceeds, and make payments for services with cash and money orders. This would be done in order to conceal the true ownership of the assets; conceal the source of the funds; and avoid tracing by financial institutions and civil and criminal authorities, thereby protecting their interest in the properties.

Defendant José Figueroa Agosto is charged under the Continuing Criminal Enterprise statute, Title 21, United States Code, Section 848. The charges set forth in Count Three of the indictment indicate that from in or about the year 1994, continuing up to and until July 17, 2010, in the District of Puerto Rico, New York, Venezuela, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and on the high seas. José Figueroa Agosto occupied a position of organizer, supervisor and manager in a criminal enterprise, which involved the possession with intent to distribute and the importation of cocaine, and from which continuing series of violations, he obtained substantial income and resources.

On July 17, 2010, the U.S. Marshals Service in Puerto Rico arrested José Figueroa Agosto after being a fugitive since November 1999 when he utilized false documents to escape from a Puerto Rico correctional facility. He was subsequently charged with fraudulently obtaining a passport to travel to the Dominican Republic as a result of an investigation by the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). As charged in the Indictment, he continued his criminal enterprise of drug trafficking. At the time of his arrest, convicted felon Figueroa Agosto was also arrested in possession of a firearm for which charges are included in the Indictment.

Defendant José Figueroa Agosto is also indicted in a second superseding indictment for conspiracy to import more than two thousand one hundred (2,100) kilos of cocaine into Puerto Rico between the years 2000-2001.

The indictment also includes money laundering allegations from in or around September 2005 through in or around December 2007. It was part of the manner and means of the conspiracy that the defendants would acquire vessels with illegal proceeds for use in drug and currency smuggling ventures between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. They would also transfer ownership or loan the vessels amongst themselves in furtherance of the drug trafficking activities.

“During the continuing criminal enterprise, the leader of which was José Figueroa Agosto, defendants smuggled, purchased and distributed large quantities of cocaine and heroin into our community. Figueroa Agosto, along with his co conspirators, made profits, invested the profits in furtherance of their criminal enterprise, laundered the profits and bought vessels and real estate properties, while he was a convicted felon on the run,” said Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “This group caused a significant amount of damage in our communities and neighboring countries; we can feel safer today because we have dismantled a very powerful international drug trafficking organization.”

"Drug trafficking organizations must be aggressively attacked and dismantled at every level - from the street dealer to the international supplier and drug lord," said ICE Director John Morton. "Through the coordinated efforts of ICE and our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, we have effectively eradicated the drug trafficking organization of the largest drug distributor in the Caribbean, responsible for bringing significant quantities of drugs into our communities. Those involved in drug trafficking should know that the Caribbean is no longer an option to transship narcotics into the United States."

“DEA leading role in international drug trafficking investigations was key in crushing Junior Capsula’s Continued Criminal Enterprise,” said Javier F. Peña, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Caribbean Division. “DEA’s longtime partnership with our foreign counterparts in the region and especially with the Dominican Republic’s Dirección Nacional de Control de Drogas was essential in gathering all the evidence that made this OCDETF investigation a success.”

The DEA, FBI, ICE, IRS, and Puerto Rico Police Department investigated the case under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. Assistant United States Attorneys Jenifer Y. Hernández Vega, Olga Castellón and Teresa Zapata will prosecute the case.

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. Defendant Figueroa Agosto is facing a mandatory life sentence if found guilty of the continuing criminal enterprise charge.

Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.