News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2004

Twelve Indicted on Heroin Distribution Conspiracy Charges

Boston, MA... Twelve people were charged today in federal court with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute heroin.

Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan, Thomas Robbins, Colonel, Massachusetts State Police and Edward Davis, Chief of the Lowell Police Department announced today that the following individuals were charged in a seven-count indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute heroin in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846 and 841(a)(1):

1. JULIO CARRION SANTIAGO, age 46 of 264 Mechanic Street, Leominster
2. PEDRO ALBERTO MIRANDA, age 36 of 212 Wilder Street, Lowell
3. REYNALDO RIVERA, age 26 of 235 Eighteenth Street, Dracut
4. ENRIQUE AGOSTO, age 39 of 1 Shattuck Street, Lowell
5. JOSE TORRADO, age 24 of 241 Moody Street, Lowell
6. CARLOS SANCHEZ, age 22 of 270 Fairmount Street, Fitchburg
7. LUIS R. SANCHEZ, age 30 of 427 Rosewood Lane, Lowell
8. EDWIN TORREZ, age 38 of 212 Black Brook Road, Lowell
9. JOSE O. RODRIGUEZ, age 42 of 261 Aiken Street, Lowell
10. ZULEIMA REYES, age 25 of 19 Conlon Terrace, Lowell
11. SANTIAGO ARROYO, age 20 of 4 Murray Court, Nashua, New Hampshire and
12. JUAN NUNEZ, age 32 of 930 59th Street, Brooklyn, New York

The indictment further alleged that the conspiracy occurred in Lowell, Leominster, Fitchburg, Dracut and elsewhere in Massachusetts and the Eastern District of New York, between in or about December 2003 through on or about October 15, 2004, and involved at least one kilogram of a mixture and a substance containing a detectable amount of heroin. Defendants RIVERA, ARROYO and REYES were also charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) for their involvement in the sale of heroin to an undercover agent on several occasions in December 2003 and January 2004. SANTIAGO was also charged for possession of a firearm (a 9 mm Luger) in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. This charge arose out of the seizure of a firearm that was seized from his residence on October 15, 2004.

According to two criminal complaints filed earlier in this case, SANTIAGO was an alleged heroin distributor who distributed large quantities of heroin to numerous customers including RIVERA, RODRIGUEZ, TORRADO, AGOSTO, TORREZ, LUIS SANCHEZ and CARLOS SANCHEZ in Lowell and the surrounding areas. It was further alleged in the complaint that SANTIAGO traveled to the residence of NUNEZ, his source of supply, in Brooklyn, New York on numerous occasions in September and October 2004. On the last of these occasions, October 15, 2004, SANTIAGO’s vehicle was stopped shortly after leaving NUNEZ’s apartment and agents seized ½ kilogram of heroin from this vehicle.

If convicted on these charges, the defendants face a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life imprisonment, to be followed by at least eight years of supervised release and up to a $4,000,000 fine. In addition to the maximum penalty for the drug offenses charged in the indictment, SANTIAGO also faces a consecutive minimum mandatory sentence of five years for the firearm charge.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Cross Border Initiative, the Massachusetts State Police, the Lowell Police Department Vice-Narcotics Unit and Dracut Police Department.