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Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces that 13 individuals have been sentenced in connection with their involvement in an international heroin distribution conspiracy. During this investigation, investigators seized approximately 6.5 kilograms of heroin, 9 firearms, and approximately $600,000 in drug proceeds.
According to court documents, during the course of the conspiracy, Felix Mejia Lagunas oversaw the importation of at least 30 kilograms of heroin into the United States from Mexico, and the subsequent transportation of the narcotics to Jesus Alberto Bermudez Caraballo in Orlando. Bermudez Caraballo provided a portion of the heroin to Jose Carlos Polanco Vasquez, Raul Vicente Espada Ortiz, and Deyvis Lee Echevarria for redistribution in the Orlando area. Angel Alexis Alicea transported the remaining amount of the heroin from Orlando to the Tampa Bay area where Jose Leonardo Jimenez, Jose Leonardo Jimenez, and Jose Antonio Crespo Negron mixed the narcotics with cutting agents, packaged it for distribution, and then provided the drugs to street level distributors Freddie, Resto, Juan Carlos Lopez, Robert Kelly, and Rachel Augustine Thomas. These street level distributors then sold the heroin in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and elsewhere.
Special Agent in Charge Eric W. Sporre of the FBI’s Tampa Field Office." “By combining federal, state and local resources, a major heroin trafficking ring was dismantled; removing large quantities of a dangerous drug off the streets.”
FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen said, “The hard work of our partners at the federal, state and local level helped to bring these violent offenders to justice and get them off our streets. The sentences handed down should send a clear message to traffickers and help to make Florida safer.”
“This is a perfect example of the kind of multi-agency teamwork necessary to dismantle these complex conspiracies and bring criminals to justice,” said Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan. “Our communities are safer today as a result of the work of this task force."
Name |
Age, Residence |
Term of Imprisonment |
Felix Mejia Lagunas |
42, California |
27 years |
Jose Leonardo Jimenez |
29, Tampa |
21 years, 10 months |
Jose Carlos Polanco Vasquez |
29, Orlando |
12 years, 7 months |
Jesus Alberto Bermudez Caraballo |
29, Orlando |
11 years, 3 months |
Raul Vicente Espada Ortiz |
40, Orlando |
11 years, 3 months |
Freddie Resto |
59, Tampa |
11 years, 3 months |
Deyvis Lee Echevarria |
30, Orlando |
10 years, 1 month |
Angel Alexis Alicea |
29, Tampa |
10 years, 1 month |
Jose Angel Jimenez Villa |
27, Tampa |
10 years |
Jose Antonio Crespo Negron |
30, Tampa |
10 years |
Juan Carlos Lopez |
34, Tampa |
7 years |
Robert Kelly |
56, Tampa |
4 years, 9 months |
Rachel Augustine Thomas |
56, St. Petersburg |
2 years |
These cases were investigated by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. Agencies involved in this OCDETF operation include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. They were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.