Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced in Brooklyn Federal Court to 20 Years’ Imprisonment

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Luis Bello was sentenced by United States District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis to 20 years’ imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release after his conviction for conspiring to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, conspiring to launder money and trafficking in firearms.  The defendant ran a cocaine distribution operation in the Bronx from 2011 until his arrest in September 2013.

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent-in-Charge, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York, announced the sentence.

“Luis Bello oversaw a drug trafficking organization in the Bronx that brought large quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico to the streets of New York City,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “Today he was held accountable, and his drug organization has been dismantled.  We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to stem the flow of drugs into our neighborhoods and prosecute traffickers like the defendant.”  Mr. Donoghue also expressed his appreciation to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Field Office; Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, New York/New Jersey;  U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Marshals Service, Investigative Operations Division; Port Authority of New York & New Jersey Police Department; New York City Police Department and the Queens County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance during the investigation.

“Today’s 20 year sentencing of Bello effectively rids our community of the convicted leader of a dangerous drug trafficking and money laundering organization with ties to the Caribbean, that flooded the streets of New York with large quantities of cocaine,”

stated HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Melendez. “Bello will now have a lot of time to sit in his cell and think of how his actions have negatively affected the lives of so many individuals.”

According to court filings, the defendant was the head of a Bronx-based drug trafficking organization that brought more than 1,000 kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to New York through drug couriers and through the United States Postal Service, distributed the drugs throughout the New York area, and laundered the proceeds from the sale of those drugs. 

Members of Bello’s organization obtained drugs from the Dominican Republic to distribute in the New York area.  Co-conspirators based in Puerto Rico shipped the drugs to Bello in New York through the U.S. mails, using the assistance of a mail carrier stationed at the Highbridge Postal Station in the Bronx, as well as through Post Office boxes rented by other members of the drug trafficking organization in New York and New Jersey.  The postal carrier’s mail route included areas where Bello’s organization was based.  The mail carrier regularly intercepted drug-laden packages that were addressed to other addresses on his route, but which he segregated based on tracking numbers and addresses, and delivered to Bello or other members of his organization.

After selling the drugs, Bello and other members his organization laundered the proceeds from the sale of these drugs through the banking system by exchanging small dollar denominations for large dollar denominations, typically $100 bills, that could be more easily transported by members of the drug organization when they traveled to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic to purchase more drugs.  At least $620,000 in cash exchanges were made in accounts controlled by Bello’s organization.  In one month alone in 2011, cash exchanges totaling approximately $58,000 were made in an account held in Bello’s name.

Members of the drug organization then bulk-cash smuggled the drug proceeds from New York to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, hiding money in the pockets of jeans packed in luggage and in soap bottles.

Nine other defendants have pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine or launder money as part of Bello’s drug trafficking organization.  On February 13, 2017, Joel Aguilar was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment for his involvement in distributing at least 150 kilograms of cocaine.  On November 2, 2017, U.S. postal carrier Jermaine Sandifer was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment for his involvement in distributing at least 150 kilograms of cocaine.  On August 8, 2017, Bello’s cousin Carlos Bello Tirado was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment.  On November 20, 2017, Ernest Pena was sentenced to time served for his involvement in distributing 85 kilograms of cocaine.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas M. Pravda and Julia Nestor are in charge of the prosecution.

Defendant Sentenced Today:
LUIS BELLO
Age: 34
Residence: Bronx, New York

Defendants Previously Sentenced:

JOEL AGUILAR
Age: 39
Residence: New York, New York

CARLOS BELLO TIRADO
Age: 39
Residence: Leesburg, Florida

ERNEST PENA
Age: 34
Residence: Bronx, New York

JERMAINE SANDIFER
Age: 41
Residence: Perth Amboy, New Jersey

Defendants Awaiting Sentencing:

EMIL SANCHEZ
Age: 27
Residence: Bronx, New York

ANA ABREU
Age: 34
Residence: Bronx, New York

MARY ESTRELLA
Age: 27
Residence: Bronx, New York

KELVIN CISNERO SANTOS
Age: 42
Residence: Bronx, New York

SAUL OVALLES CORNIEL
Age: 36
Residence: Newark, New Jersey

E.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 13-CR-559 (NGG) & 16-CR-309 (NGG)