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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On November 5, 2015, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned two separate indictments against thirteen and nine defendants respectively charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, announced Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD), Ponce Strike Force, are in charge of the investigation.
The first indictment alleges that beginning in 2009, the organization distributed cocaine, heroin, crack, and marihuana at the Caracoles III Ward, located in the Municipality of Peñuelas, Puerto Rico, all for financial gain and profit.
The 13 defendants are: Victor A. Serna-González, aka “Bebe;” Victor Daniel Serna-González, aka “Danny;” Rubén Figueroa-Santiago; José L. Ríos-Martínez, aka “Olivo;” Fred Bernard Rodríguez, aka “Gordo;” Victor Ramos-González, aka “Burrin;” Luis M. Ramos-González, aka “Chino;” José Pérez-Santiago, aka “Orejas;” Carlos Ramos-González, aka “Colorao;” Rafael J. Quiros-Morales, aka “Menor;” Erick Tomás García-Ramos, aka “Tito;” Julio Araud-Figueroa, aka “Julito;” and FNU LNU, aka “Wilfred”.
The second indictment alleges that beginning in 2007, the organization distributed cocaine and heroin at the Caracoles II Ward, located in Peñuelas, PR, for significant financial gain and profit. The nine defendants are: Victor Candelario-Santiago, aka “El Loco;” Elliot Lucca-Nieves, aka “Luquita;” Luis Rosario-Tellado, aka “Javier Tellado;” Aixsa L. Morales-Figueroa; Juan Ramos-Rodríguez, aka “Flaco;” Miguel Rivera-Galarza, aka “Valdo;” Ángel L. Alvarado-Pérez, aka “Cacu;” Julio E. Feliciano-Quiñonez, aka “Caballito;” and José Figueroa-Segarra, aka “El Menor”.
The 22 defendants acted in different roles in order to further the goals of their organizations, to wit: leader, drug point owners, runners, drug processors, sellers, and facilitators. Some defendants possessed firearms to protect the members of the drug trafficking organizations, the narcotics, the proceeds derived from the sales, and to further accomplish the goals of the conspiracies.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Myriam Fernández, supervisor of the Narcotics Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Mathews are in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life in prison. Indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.