District of Puerto Rico

The former mayor of the municipality of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison for his involvement in a bribery scheme in which he received cash payments in exchange for awarding municipal contracts and expedited payment of invoices related to those contracts.   

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ángel Pérez-Otero, 53, was involved in a bribery conspiracy in which, from approximately late 2019 through May 2021, he accepted thousands of dollars in cash bribes on a regular basis from the owner of a construction company. In exchange for those payments, Pérez-Otero agreed to obtain and retain government contracts for the company and ensured that the company’s invoices were promptly paid.

In March, a federal jury convicted Pérez-Otero of conspiracy, federal program bribery, and extortion.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph González of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Nicholas Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Myriam Fernández-González for the District of Puerto Rico prosecuted the case. PIN Trial Attorney Ryan R. Crosswell and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott H. Anderson for the District of Puerto Rico assisted in the investigation.  

This case is a part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matter, PIN and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the District of Puerto Rico for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts. See United States v. Félix Delgado-Montalvo, 21-463 (RAM); United States v. Oscar Santamaria-Torres, 21-464 (RAM); United States v. Raymond Rodríguez, 21-465 (RAM); United States v. Mario Villegas-Vargas, 21-468 (FAB); United States v. Radamés Benítez-Cardona, 21-475 (PAD); United States v. Luis Arroyo-Chiques, 21-485 (SCC); United States v. Eduardo Cintron-Suarez, 22-151 (SCC); United States v. Javier Garcia-Perez, 22-185 (ADC); United States v. Reinaldo Vargas-Rodriguez, 22-186 (PAD); United States v. Ramon Conde-Melendez, 22-221 (PAD); United States v. Pedro Miranda-Marrero, 22-251 (RAM); United States v. Jose Cruz-Cruz, 22-276 (SCC); and United States Jose Bou-Santiago, 22-379 (ADC).

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A Juncos, Puerto Rico resident was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Pedro A. Delgado to a total of five years and four months of imprisonment for aggravated identity theft and bank fraud violations in two separate cases, announced U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico.

According to court documents, Juan Rivera Mundo, 27, devised a scheme to acquire individuals’ debit cards and PIN numbers from legitimate debit card transactions with the help of other people working as cashiers at multiple business locations in Puerto Rico that he recruited as part of the scheme. The defendant then used counterfeit access device equipment to “clone” those debit cards and then used them to illegally withdraw cash and make extravagant purchases, all for his own enrichment and that of others. In doing so, Rivera Mundo stole debit card numbers and personal identifying information in order to fraudulently obtain funds under the control of a federally insured financial institution.

Juan Rivera Mundo was originally charged on March 24, 2022. While on bail pending trial, Rivera Mundo engaged in additional illegal skimming activity. He was then charged for the new conduct and arrested on August 25, 2022. The defendant pleaded guilty to both cases on November 9, 2023.

In addition to the sixty-four months sentence of imprisonment, Rivera Mundo was ordered to serve five (5) years of supervised release and to pay restitution in the amount of $18,528.60.

Defendant was also charged in a third and separate federal indictment in the District of Puerto Rico on May 11, 2023, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in 2020 by fraudulently requesting a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan as part of a scheme to defraud and obtain money and property from the United States Small Business Administration and a financial institution. This case is currently pending disposition.

The United States Secret Service investigated the bank fraud and aggravated identity theft cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Christine Amy prosecuted the cases.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, announced the indictment of 19 individuals for their participation in a scheme to illegally obtain federal recovery funds under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The Grand Jury charged the defendants with multiple counts of wire fraud and money laundering.

The charging documents allege that from April 2020 through February 2024, the defendants and their co-conspirators caused the submission of at least 30 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications seeking the illegal disbursement of at least $587,442 in federal recovery funds from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Bank 1.

“This is the fifth round of defendants charged since April 2023 relating to this fraud scheme. The investigation remains ongoing, and we expect more charges,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “Today I make the same recommendation that I have in the past – if you are involved in criminal activity, contact law enforcement and cooperate. It will be better for you if you come forward than if you wait for the feds to knock on your door.”

“In IRS Criminal Investigation we have been working on these complex cases for almost three years. The investigations include multiple special agents and expert personnel from several federal agencies,” said Matthew D. Line, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-CI Office in Miami. “Twenty-four IRS:CI special agents coordinated today’s operation were responsible for the arrest of five people this morning. Our message is one and it is clear: we will continue to work tirelessly to bring to justice those who commit criminal acts or defraud our taxpayers, no matter who they are or where they are.”

“Scheming to fraudulently obtain federal funds that are meant to provide assistance to the nation’s small businesses is unacceptable,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Braithwaite. “OIG will aggressively root out organized fraud rings that seek to wrongfully take advantage of pandemic relief program funds. Today’s arrests serve as a reminder that each fraudulent action is like footprints in concrete, and wrongdoers will be brought to justice. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to pursuing justice in this case.”

The United States Secret Service, the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Treasury Department, the Puerto Rico Bureau of Special Investigations, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and the Guaynabo Municipal Police.

According to court documents, defendants José Carmona Morales, a.k.a. “Cheka” and Cecy Casiano Santiago, together with Manfred A. Pentzke Lemus, a.k.a. “Man/Contable/El Gestor”, Rodolpho R. Pagesy Roussel, a.k.a. “El Banquero”, Augusto A. Lemus Berrios, a.k.a. “Primo”, Jonatan Ben David Prieto Ruiz De Val, a.k.a. “Johnny Millones”, Ligia María Lemus De Pentzke, and others knowingly devised a scheme to defraud the SBA and Bank 1 to obtain federal money and property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises submitted through applications for EIDL and PPP loans made available through the CARES Act to help small businesses recover from the impact of the pandemic. Pentzke Lemus, Pagesy Roussel, Lemus Berrios, Prieto Ruiz De Val, and Lemus De Pentzke were previously charged in April 2023 in a separate indictment.

The defendants are:

[1] José Carmona Morales, a.k.a. “Cheka”

[2] Cecy Casiano Santiago

[3] Arnaldo Dávila Rivera

[4] Cruz Sheila Pérez Guzmán

[5] Emmanuel Maysonet Cruz

[6] Janelle Irene Fe Cooney Delgado

[7] Jesús Rodríguez Maysonet

[8] Julia Cecilia Santiago Salgado

[9] Nelson Noriega Sotomayor

[10] Héctor Martínez Ortiz

[11] Carolyn González Marrero

[12] Edyel León Rivera

[13] Ángel Febus Muñoz

[14] Verónica Vázquez Molina

[15] Karishna Ayala Otero

[16] Lilliam Collazo Pérez

[17] Rebecca Serrano Martínez

[18] Rosa Casanova Salgado

[19] Tatiana Lebrón

The CARES Act authorized federal assistance through the issuance of SBA loans to small businesses and non-profit entities that experienced revenue loss due to the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic. The EIDL program was one such loan assistance program for small businesses. To procure the loan, applicants had to fill out an online application detailing operational information for the 12‑month period prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the number of employees in the business, the gross business revenues realized, and the cost of goods sold. Another form of assistance provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of United States taxpayer funds in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, such as interest on mortgages, rent and utilities, through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

The indictment alleges that the defendants submitted at least 30 fraudulent PPP loan applications containing materially false and fraudulent information and false documents, including false and fictitious tax documents, payroll records, bank records, and identification documents, to procure the disbursement of PPP assistance loans by Bank 1. The indictment further alleges that the defendants and their co-conspirators directed the recipients of the fraudulently obtained PPP loans to remit a portion of the proceeds of the loans to the defendants and their co-conspirators and used the loan proceeds to benefit themselves and others, and to pay for expenses prohibited under the requirements of the PPP programs.

Defendants José Carmona Morales, a.k.a. “Cheka” and Cecy Casiano Santiago are facing one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, for knowingly conducting financial transactions involving the proceeds of wire fraud, together with other individuals previously indicted. The defendants, including José Carmona Morales, a.k.a. “Cheka”, are also alleged to have recruited other unindicted co-conspirators to not only obtain additional EIDL and PPP loans under false pretenses, but recruit others to submit fraudulent applications. 

If convicted, the defendants are facing up to 30 years in prison for the wire fraud counts. José Carmona Morales, a.k.a. “Cheka” and Cecy Casiano Santiago are also facing up to 20 years of imprisonment for the money laundering count.

Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Timothy R. Henwood, Chief of the Criminal Division, and AUSA Daniel J. Olinghouse are in charge of the prosecution of the case. 

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Three defendants pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Communicate a False Distress Signal and False Statements in US Coast Guard hoax call case.

Pursuant to court filings, on June 28, 2022, Harold Carrión Butter, while trying to evade local authorities regarding a domestic violence case, purposefully hid himself in an attempt to make it seem like he was swept out to sea at La Poza Del Obispo in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Carrión Butter called his mother, Justinita Butter who, after several phone conversations with her son, called local 9-1-1. She falsely reported that her son had not been answering his phone and was missing from the beach at Poza Del Obispo in Arecibo, Puerto Rico.  Her 9-1-1 call was transferred to United States Coast Guard (USCG) Sector San Juan, which immediately began to coordinate a search and rescue operation for Carrión Butter.  Throughout that night and following two days, through multiple phone calls with Coast Guard Officers, Justinita Butter and Miriam Delgado-Serrano, made multiple false claims that Carrión Butter did not have a phone, must have been swept out to sea, and that there was no other place he could be. All these claims were made while they were both in continuous and surreptitious communication with Carrión Butter through multiple phone calls and text messages.

On July 1, 2022, Carrion Butter was discovered by local Puerto Rico police, in a location near his family home.  The USCG subsequently ended its search and rescue operation, after having diverted multiple ships, boats, and aircraft from other potential search and rescue missions and criminal-interdictions, and after having expended over $1,000,000 in assets and resources in the search.

Defendant #1 Harold Carrión Butter plead guilty to Count One of the Indictment, Conspiracy to Communicate a False Distress Signal. He was sentenced in December 2023 to time served; approximately 18 months of imprisonment served. He is currently incarcerated at the state level and facing other charges.

Justintia Butter, who was scheduled for trial beginning February 5, 2024, plead guilty on Friday, January 26. She plead guilty to Count Four which was Making a False Statement. Specifically, when USCG personnel were speaking on the phone with Ms. Butter on the morning of June 29, 2022, they asked Ms. Butter for Harold’s phone number. She told CG personnel that Harold didn’t have a phone and did not provide his number. The sentencing is scheduled for April 26, 2024.

Defendant #3 Miriam Delgado Serrano also plead guilty to Count One of the Indictment. Her sentencing is scheduled for March 1, 2024. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

“Federal, state and local authorities take all threat-to-life matters very seriously,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “However, when individuals make false reports to law enforcement, endangering first responders, other citizens, and wasting resources, they will be prosecuted and held accountable for their criminal conduct.”

“I commend the efforts of all interagency responders who did their utmost to find Mr. Butters as well as the efforts and diligence from all the investigative authorities that led to three arrests and justice being served in this case,” said Capt. José E. Díaz, Coast Guard Sector San Juan commander.  “Hoax search and rescues cases are extremely dangerous and will not be tolerated, the consequences could be deadly, as first responders and valuable assets are placed at risk to search for survivors during a false distress alert.  A prolonged hoax search and rescue situation, like the one in this case, could easily prevent people from receiving critical emergency response and lifesaving assistance that may be required to save lives in a real emergency.”

The US Coast Guard Investigative Service investigated the case.

USCG Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Helena B. Daniel from the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting the case.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Two men were arrested by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on criminal charges related to child exploitation conduct.

On January 26, 2024, the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Taskforce (PRCACTF) led by HSI, arrested Elvin Jhohanie Molina-Rosado, a 35-year-old man from Corozal.

A federal grand jury indicted Molina-Rosado on January 24, 2024, with four counts of Sexual Exploitation of Children, Sexual Enticement of a Minor, Receipt of Child Exploitation Material, and Possession of Child Exploitation Material.

According to court documents, from February of 2020 through April of 2022, the defendant used his computer, cellular phones, and internet social media applications to persuade and entice a female minor, between 12 and 14 years of age, to engage in sexually explicit conduct. During the same period, Molina-Rosado produced, received, and transmitted child exploitation material. He also knowingly possessed and accessed with intent to view, said material containing images of child pornography.

If convicted, the defendant faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant US Attorney (AUSA) Jenifer Y. Hernández-Vega, Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit Chief, is prosecuting the case.

In a separate case, Edwin Martínez-Ortiz, a 45-year-old man from Caguas was arrested on January 26, 2024, by HSI’s agents from the Fajardo office.

A federal indictment and arrest warrant were issued on January 24, 2024, against Martínez-Ortiz with two counts of Sexual Exploitation of Children and Possession of Child Exploitation material.

According to the indictment, from March of 2016 through May 1, 2022, the defendant knowingly used a cellular phone to induce a minor between 10 and 16 years of age to engage in sexually explicit conduct, and to produce and transmit the depiction of such conduct. During the same period, Martínez-Ortiz possessed, and accessed with intent to view, images of child exploitation material, including of a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.

If convicted, Martínez-Ortiz faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

AUSA Emelina M. Agrait-Barreto of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case.

“We are committed to bringing the defendants in these cases to justice and protecting every child,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “I would like to thank the agents and state and local partners who are relentless in their pursuit of child predators.”

Rebecca González-Ramos, Special Agent in Charge of HSI San Juan said: “Crimes Against Children have a direct impact in our society. Individuals that attack our most vulnerable will be prosecuted and taken to face justice. HSI Agents will protect our children from these predators by dedicating all efforts towards gathering evidence from electronic devices and our multidisciplinary team will assist the victims and their families to ensure their mental health during these investigations.”

For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit iGuardians™: Combating Child Predators  and to denounce suspicious activities call 787-729-6969.

For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from online sexual abuse, visit https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardians.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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About Homeland Security Investigations

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.

# HSI #

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Cándido López-Lebrón, 59, with sex trafficking of children. The United States Coast Guard Investigative Service was in charge of the investigation with the collaboration of the Department of Homeland Security.

According to court documents, López-Lebrón, from November 2022, to December 2023, knowingly affecting interstate commerce, recruited, enticed, harbored, transported a female minor between the ages of 11 and 12 years old, knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that the female victim had not attained the age of 18 years and would be caused to engage in a commercial sex act. The defendant used a cellular phone, as well as internet instant messaging service to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce the female minor to engage in sexual activity.

In addition, López-Lebrón is charged with one count of production of child exploitation material and one count of receipt of child exploitation material.

“Those who engage in child exploitation, including the sex trafficking of children and possession of child sexual abuse material, will be held accountable for their criminal conduct,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “I commend the prosecution team and our law enforcement partners who work tirelessly to ensure that these defendants are held accountable for their crimes.”

“Homeland Security - Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. Margelot stated, “The indictment of Cándido López-Lebrón for child sex trafficking is a powerful testament to our unwavering commitment to protecting the most vulnerable in our society. This joint effort between the Coast Guard Investigative Service and our Federal, State, and Local Partners underscores our determination and commitment to investigating criminal acts that extend beyond the waterline. We are dedicated to serving and safeguarding this community by ensuring the safety and well-being of our children.”

Homeland Security Investigation San Juan’s Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos stated: “HSI is committed to our children, as a society we need to get together to protect our children, as an agency we won’t stop until every individual that commits a crime against our most vulnerable is prosecuted. Sex trafficking of children is a horrific form of human trafficking that requires everyone’s attention. During Human Trafficking Awareness Month we make a call to “see something, say something” encouraging individuals to report any suspicious activities. By raising awareness and staying vigilant, we can play a vital role in identifying and preventing these crimes.”

If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez-Lora of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned two separate indictments charging two individuals for child exploitation.

According to court documents, Willie Torres-Gerena, 57, of Arecibo, PR, transported a 16-year-old female minor with the intent that the minor engaged in sexual activity.

In an unrelated case, FBI agents arrested Samuel Quiñones-Vargas, 55, of Camuy. According to the indictment, from on or about July 2023, through October 2023, Quiñones-Vargas possessed and transported child exploitation material, including child pornography of a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age, in a laptop and a tablet.

Willie Torres-Gerena is charged with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. The defendant made his initial court appearance on before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marcos E. López of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in prison, followed by a supervised release term of five years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Samuel Quiñones-Vargas is charged with transportation and possession of child exploitation material. The defendant made his initial court appearance on before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marcos E. López of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan made the announcement.

The FBI is investigating the cases.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daynelle Álvarez-Lora and Emelina Agrait-Barreto from the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit are prosecuting the cases.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico –Martin D. Cruz-Vázquez, President of FiveStar Pest Control Inc. (FiveStar), and Luis O. Agosto-Meléndez, President of CoolBreeze Air Conditioning, Inc. (CoolBreeze) pleaded guilty to the theft of federal program funds provided by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the administration of Public Housing Projects (PHPs) in Puerto Rico.

According to court documents, Martin D. Cruz-Vázquez utilized FiveStar to obtain fraudulent contracts with American Management and Administration Corporation (AMAC) and to submit fraudulent invoices for work that was not rendered. From 2014 to August 2022, Martin D. Cruz-Vázquez illegally obtained approximately $363,937 in HUD operational funds that were earmarked for the administration of PHPs.

Similarly, from 2014 to August 2019, Luis O. Agosto-Meléndez utilized CoolBreeze to obtain fraudulent contracts with AMAC causing the theft of approximately $73,199.46 in HUD operational funds.

Both schemes were carried out with the assistance of AMAC’s management, including president Walter Pierluisi-Isern, who were convicted in 2023 for related federal program theft in excess of $3.7 million. See https://www.justice.gov/usao-pr/pr/walter-pierluisi-isern-eduardo-pierluisi-isern-and-american-management-and.

“The U.S. Department of Justice will continue to prosecute those who attempt to defraud government programs,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “These plea agreements send a clear message to those who misuse government funds that they will be held accountable for their crimes.”

“The guilty pleas relating to theft of funds from a HUD program meant to benefit low-income families is a signal that repercussions await all those that would seek to illegally obtain taxpayer dollars through fraudulent schemes,” said HUD OIG Southeast Region Special Agent-in-Charge, Jerome Winkle. “HUD OIG remains committed to working with our prosecutorial and law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of HUD’s programs and ensure vulnerable people in our communities are provided critical resources upon which they can rely.”

The defendants Luis O. Agosto-Melendez and Martin D. Cruz-Vazquez are scheduled to be sentenced on April 12, 2024 and April 30, 2024, respectively, and face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General investigated this case with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Christine Amy is prosecuting the case.

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WASHINGTON – A federal jury convicted a Puerto Rico legislator and her husband today for engaging in a years-long theft, bribery, and kickback conspiracy scheme to fraudulently inflate the salary of a legislative assistant in exchange for a portion of the assistant’s inflated salary.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from early 2017 until July 2020, María Milagros Charbonier-Laureano, aka Tata, a member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, along with her husband, Orlando Montes-Rivera, and her assistant, Frances Acevedo-Ceballos, executed a scheme to defraud the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico by engaging in a theft, bribery, and kickback scheme. Over the course of the scheme, Charbonier-Laureano inflated Acevedo-Ceballos’s salary from $800 on a bi-weekly, after-tax basis to nearly $2,900. Out of every inflated paycheck, it was agreed that Acevedo-Ceballos would keep a portion, and kick back between $1,000 and $1,500 to Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera.

After learning of the investigation into illegal activities in her office and of a warrant that had been obtained for one of her phones, Charbonier-Laureano proceeded to delete certain data on the phone. In particular, Charbonier-Laureano deleted nearly the entire call log, nearly all WhatsApp messages, and nearly all iMessages associated with the phone.

The jury convicted Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera of one count of conspiracy; two counts of theft, bribery, and kickbacks concerning programs receiving federal funds; six counts of honest services wire fraud; and two counts of money laundering. The jury also convicted Charbonier-Laureano of obstruction of justice for destroying data on her cell phone.

Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera are scheduled to be sentenced on April 10 and face a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy count; a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each federal funds theft, bribery, and kickbacks count; a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each honest services wire fraud count; and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each money laundering count. Charbonier-Laureano also faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the obstruction of justice count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acevedo-Ceballos pleaded guilty on Nov. 7 to federal funds bribery and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 5, 2024.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Jonathan E. Jacobson and Kathryn E. Fifield of the Criminal Divion’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney María L. Montañez Concepción for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.

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A federal jury convicted a Puerto Rico legislator and her husband today for engaging in a years-long theft, bribery, and kickback conspiracy scheme to fraudulently inflate the salary of a legislative assistant in exchange for a portion of the assistant’s inflated salary.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from early 2017 until July 2020, María Milagros Charbonier-Laureano, also known as Tata, a member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, along with her husband, Orlando Montes-Rivera, and her assistant, Frances Acevedo-Ceballos, executed a scheme to defraud the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico by engaging in a theft, bribery, and kickback scheme. Over the course of the scheme, Charbonier-Laureano inflated Acevedo-Ceballos’s salary from $800 on a bi-weekly, after-tax basis to nearly $2,900. Out of every inflated paycheck, it was agreed that Acevedo-Ceballos would keep a portion, and kick back between $1,000 and $1,500 to Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera.

After learning of the investigation into illegal activities in her office and of a warrant that had been obtained for one of her phones, Charbonier-Laureano proceeded to delete certain data on the phone. In particular, Charbonier-Laureano deleted nearly the entire call log, nearly all WhatsApp messages, and nearly all iMessages associated with the phone.

The jury convicted Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera of one count of conspiracy; two counts of theft, bribery, and kickbacks concerning programs receiving federal funds; six counts of honest services wire fraud; and two counts of money laundering. The jury also convicted Charbonier-Laureano of obstruction of justice for destroying data on her cell phone.

Charbonier-Laureano and Montes-Rivera are scheduled to be sentenced on April 10 and face a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy count; a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each federal funds theft, bribery, and kickbacks count; a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each honest services wire fraud count; and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each money laundering count. Charbonier-Laureano also faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the obstruction of justice count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acevedo-Ceballos pleaded guilty on Nov. 7 to federal funds bribery and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 5, 2024.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Jonathan E. Jacobson and Kathryn E. Fifield of the Criminal Divion’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney María L. Montañez Concepción for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On December 18, 2023, HSI San Juan special agents assigned to the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force (PRCACTF) arrested Marcelino Resto Colón, a 68-year-old male from Guaynabo, who was previously convicted for lascivious acts, and is a registered sex offender in Puerto Rico.

According to court documents, from June 2022 through July 2022, Resto Colón used his computer and cellular phone to receive one or more images of child pornography via the internet depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.  Also, from June 2022 through May 30, 2023, the defendant possessed one or more images and videos which contained images of child pornography. The indictment also states that prior to committing the alleged offenses, Resto Colón was convicted on or about September 12, 2003, in Puerto Rico state court, for abusive sexual conduct involving a minor.

“Those who engage in child exploitation and possess child sexual abuse material will be held accountable for their heinous conduct,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “I commend the prosecution team and our law enforcement partners who continue working tirelessly to ensure that these defendants are be held accountable for their crimes.”

HSI San Juan’s Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos stated: “If the allegations presented in this case are true, we are facing an individual who does not demonstrate any regret for his actions.  Let this case demonstrates HSI’s commitment to thoroughly investigate these crimes and assure they are sustained in court and proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Assistant United States Attorney Ginette L. Milanes of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, defendant faces a sentence of at least 15 years up to 40 years of imprisonment for receipt of child exploitation material; and at least10 years up to 20 years of imprisonment for possession of child pornography. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardians; and to report suspicious activities call 787-729-6969.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

About Homeland Security Investigations

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.

# HSI #

SAN JUAN, P.R. – On December 14, 2023, the Federal Grand Jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a 20-count indictment charging four individuals with Conspiracy to Commit Bribery Concerning Program Receiving Federal Funds, Paying and Receiving Bribes, and Honest Services Wire Fraud , announced W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (HSI) with the assistance of the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury (Hacienda), the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), and the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Throughout 2020 and 2021, defendant Ariel Pintado-Montalvo made repeated bribe payments to Hacienda employees in exchange for the approval of fraudulent vehicle excise-tax Declarations and for quick approval of non-fraudulent vehicle excise-tax Declarations. During the span of the conspiracy, Pintado-Montalvo paid thousands of dollars in bribe payments to Antonio Silva-Rodríguez, Héctor Vázquez-Barroso, and Doris Bonilla-Valle, who each utilized their position as employees of Hacienda to approve fraudulent and non-fraudulent vehicle excise-tax Declarations in exchange for bribe payments. 

The Sistema Unificado de Rentas Internas (SURI) was Hacienda’s digital platform which was used to administer and collect vehicle excise-taxes on imported vehicles. Entry documents notifying the vehicle’s arrival, known as the Declaration, which contained the vehicle-identification number (VIN), were required. If the Declaration was complete and it contained the motor vehicle’s correct VIN, SURI would automatically calculate the excise tax based on the current Black Book value of the motor vehicle. Once the excise-tax was approved by Hacienda employees and paid, the vehicle would be released, and it would be free to move from the port. If the VIN was inputted incorrectly into SURI, whoever was completing the Declaration would be able to input what they believed to be the fair-market value of the vehicle. This situation triggered the requirement that a PRDT employee review the Declaration to ensure the correct amount of excise tax was collected.

According to court documents, defendant Ariel Pintado-Montalvo, who was in the business of importing motor vehicles into Puerto Rico as a “gestor” (someone who did the paperwork and helped managed part of the process of importing motor vehicles into PR), paid cash bribes and ATH Móvil payments to Hacienda employees. In exchange for the bribes, Antonio Silva-Rodríguez, Héctor Vázquez-Barroso, and Doris Bonilla-Valle approved fraudulent Declarations that resulted in a decrease in excise tax paid by Pintado-Montalvo and a loss of revenue for Hacienda.  Additionally, in exchange for bribe payments, Silva-Rodríguez, Vázquez-Barroso, and Bonilla-Valle used their Hacienda positions to quickly approve non-fraudulent Declarations.

With regards to the fraudulent Declarations, these Hacienda employees agreed that an incorrect VIN number would be imputed into SURI to trigger the review of the Declaration. Then, Pintado-Montalvo would notify one of co-defendants at Hacienda when a fraudulent Declaration was ready for approval by providing the Declaration’s number via WhatsApp. Soon after, Silva-Rodríguez, Vázquez-Barroso, or Bonilla-Valle approved the fraudulent Declaration and notified Pintado-Montalvo via WhatsApp.

Likewise, Pintado-Montalvo sent the number for the non-fraudulent Declaration that needed quick approval via WhatsApp. Silva-Rodríguez, Vázquez-Barroso, or Bonilla-Valle then notified Pintado-Montalvo when it was approved. Pintado-Montalvo would then proceed to coordinate and make the bribe payments in cash or via ATH Móvil in batches.

“Together with our law enforcement partners, our office will continue to aggressively pursue corrupt individuals in the government who take advantage of the system to benefit a few in exchange for bribes,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. “This prosecution serves as a warning to other public employees involved in these types of schemes that they will be investigated and prosecuted, and that such violations will not be tolerated.”

“Corruption is a complex problem with a variety of causes and no simple solution. This is why attacking this threat at all levels and having a zero-tolerance posture is necessary in order to have a real impact,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “The FBI has been at the frontlines in the fight against corruption in Puerto Rico and I think the message is clear - if you are a public official, using your public office for personal gain, we will come after you and you will face Justice. I thank our partners at the US Attorney’s Office, HSI, the Puerto Rico Treasury Department (Hacienda), for their continued support to the FBI mission.”

“The defendants in this case used their position of trust as government employees to develop a scheme impacting Puerto Rico’s economy,” said Rebecca González-Ramos, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Homeland Security, San Juan. “Money that goes directly to our citizens for enhancements in our island, to our public servers, our schools, and our roads, were not collected in exchange for personal gain. These employees defrauded the trust of the people of Puerto Rico. HSI will continue to investigate the financial crimes that negatively impact the infrastructure of the United States and its territories, most importantly those that abuse their position to commit these crimes.”

“Today’s arrests are in part, the culmination of a collaborative effort between the FBI and the Puerto Rico Treasury Department,” said Francisco Parés-Alicea, Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury (Hacienda). “In 2021 I shared data identified through our new information systems regarding potential fraud in the introduction of vehicles in the island. Although this incident is very unfortunate, we reiterate our unwavering commitment in fighting these reprehensible acts regardless of where they come from.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor O. Acevedo-Hernández is prosecuting the case.

The indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

# # #

United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow released the following statement regarding the passing of The Honorable Nydia M. Cotto Vives, President of the Independent Prosecutor Panel, on behalf of the United States Attorney’s Office.

We are saddened by the passing of former Judge of the Puerto Rico Court of Appeals Nydia M. Cotto Vives. She was a tireless public servant, distinguished jurist and a great woman who served the Court of Appeals, the Puerto Rico Superior Court, and the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections, and served them all with righteousness and distinction. We honor her many years of dedicated public service.

On behalf of the United States Attorney’s Office, I extend our deepest condolences to her family, her colleagues on the Panel, and all who knew and admired her. May her memory be eternal.

# # #

SAN JUAN, P.R. – On December 13, 2023, the Federal Grand Jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned 11 separate indictments charging 11 individuals with the theft of federal-economic-impact payments from during the COVID-19 pandemic totaling $858,600, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), and the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury (Hacienda).

During the COVID-19 crisis, the Federal government provided three rounds of economic-impact payments to eligible individuals in Puerto Rico. The Secretary of the US Department of the Treasury (USDT) approved the Economic Impact Payment Distribution Plan and the Plan for the Disbursement of the Third Economic Impact Payment which enabled the Puerto Rico Department of the Treasury (PRDT), as the local administrator, to distribute the economic-impact payments to eligible individuals as required by federal regulation.

The Sistema Unificado de Rentas Internas (SURI) was the section of the PRDT that processed and distributed the economic-impact payments. The economic-impact payments were automatic if a taxpayer’s bank account information was confirmed in SURI. Individuals that were not verified could apply for the payments in the PRDT’s online portal. The online portal required an applicant to provide an address, name, social security number, dependent information and banking information. And the applicant would be required to certify to an oath verifying the veracity of the information provided. If the applicant was eligible for the economic-impact payment, the PRDT would then distribute the economic impact-payments to the applicant’s bank account.

According to court documents, the defendants participated in the theft of federal funds and received multiple-economic-impact payments that were obtained using the personal identification information of others.

Eleven indictments charge 11 individuals with Theft, Disposition, and Receipt of Stolen Government Money in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641. Some of the individuals were also charged with Engaging in Monetary Transactions in Property Derived from Specified-Unlawful Activity and Laundering of Monetary Instruments in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1956 and 1957. These additional charges are related to efforts to structure subsequent financial transactions to avoid financial reporting requirements and to illegally transfer and use the stolen funds for other purposes, including retail purchases like jewelry.

The defendants charged and the corresponding moneys illegally received are: 

Estephany J. Disla

$108,800

Soammy K. Feliz-Rivera

$35,200

Ismarielis Nolberto-Cedaño

$158,800

Tatiana Segarra-Vázquez

$96,400

José L. Cruz-Gutiérrez

$77,600

Altagracia J. Peña

$63,200

Félix J. Rivera-Álvarez

$70,400

Karla Y. Colón-Cruz

$63,000

Yuleydi C. Bautista

$76,600

Esther J. Peña-Tineo

$62,000

Gisel E. Dilone-Díaz

$46,600

Total

$858,600

“These arrests reflect our continued resolve to investigate and prosecute those who try to exploit a national emergency to steal taxpayer-funded resources by using the global pandemic as an opportunity to steal from hardworking citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “We are proud to work with our law enforcement partners to hold wrongdoers accountable and to safeguard taxpayer funds.”

“The purpose of economic incentives, such as those provided through the CARES ACT, is to extend a helping hand to people in need. When criminals develop schemes to steal this money, they directly hurt people who are already in a difficult situation,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge or the FBI San Juan Field Office. “The FBI will continue to investigate these cases for as long as it takes. Social justice starts by doing the right thing, the right way and we urge the public to continue reporting these schemes by calling 787-987-6500 or leaving a tip through tips.fbi.gov.”

To report a COVID-19-related fraud scheme or suspicious activity, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) by calling the NCDF Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form

Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor O. Acevedo-Hernández is prosecuting the case.

The indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

# # #

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The Court sentenced six defendants for fraudulent and extortionate schemes perpetrated in the Port of San Juan Case. On August 11, 2022, four of the defendants were charged with running a criminal enterprise dedicated to extorting and misleading shipping companies into paying fees for the loading and unloading of cargo at the Port of San Juan—Piers 9, 10, and 11—under the threat of strikes and blockades on the part of union members of the ILA-1740 of the International Longshoremen’s Association, AFL-CIO (“ILA”) and under false representations that companies had to pay a fee in order to be able to use “union-free labor” for the loading and unloading of cargo. The other two defendants were charged with doing “chimbos,” a scheme where the defendants used the union card of another when working at the docks so that it appeared that the union member was working. Because it appeared that the person on the union card was working, the hours worked were fraudulently counted for the non-working union member’s yearly-hour requirement to qualify for healthcare benefits in the employee-benefit plan called Plan de Bienestar UTM-PRSSA. 

The Court imposed the following sentences per defendant:

Pedro Pastrana-González: Count 1, RICO—21 months of imprisonment, one year of supervised release, restitution of $242,042.69

Iara I. Clemente-Rivera,: Count 1, RICO—three years of probation, restitution of $150,000

Carlos C. Sánchez-Ortiz, a.k.a. “Kaito/Caito/Presidente”: Count 1, RICO—three years of probation, restitution of $10,000

Jorge I. Batista-Maldonado: Counts 1, RICO—two years of probation, restitution of $50,000

José A. Fernández-Cruz, a.k.a. “Toñito”: Count 6, Conspiracy to Willfully Convert Funds and Falsify Records of the Plan de Bienestar UTM-PRSSA—one year of probation, restitution of $3,567.17

Carlos A. Hernández-Laguer, aka “Brea”: Count 6, Conspiracy to Willfully Convert Funds and Falsify Records of the Plan de Bienestar UTM-PRSSA— one year of probation, restitution of $3,567.17

Significantly, because of the convictions, under 29 U.S.C. § 1111, all of the defendants are prohibited from serving in any position with decision making authority and other-prohibited capacities in an employee-benefit plan for thirteen years. Furthermore, Carlos C. Sánchez-Ortiz, agreed to be prohibited under 29 U.S.C. § 504 from holding union office for thirteen years. Hence, Carlos C. Sánchez-Ortiz must immediately resign from his positions as president of the union ILA-1740 and the Plan de Bienestar UTM-PRSSA.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; Megan Underwood, Northeastern Regional Director of the Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS); Crystal Colemen, Acting Regional Director, Atlanta Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA); and Juan A. Vargas, Acting Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspector, Miami Division made the announcement.

The FBI was in charge of the investigation, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor—Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor—Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor—Office of Labor-Management Standards, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistance was also provided by the San Juan Municipal Police, the Carolina Municipal Police, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and the Puerto Rico Ports Authority.

The investigation was carried out in consultation with attorneys of the Organized Crime and Gang Section of the U.S. Department of Justice. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor O. Acevedo-Hernández prosecuted the case.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On December 6, 2023, a Federal Grand Jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned two separate indictments charging three individuals for violations of the Clean Water Act. The charges relate to the illegal construction and deposit of material into the wetlands and waters of the United States in the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (the “Jobos Estuarine Reserve”).

Various federal agencies are involved in this ongoing investigation into environmental crimes in the Jobos Estuarine Reserve and Las Mareas community as part of the Caribbean Environmental Crimes Task Force, including the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (Army-CID), U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Inspector General (DOC-OIG), National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement (NOAA-OLE), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement (FW‑OLE).

According to the first indictment, from June 2018 to December 2023, Rafael Carballo-Díaz and Nathaniel Hernández-Claudio knowingly discharged fill material from excavation and earth moving equipment into the wetlands and waters of the United States in violation of the Clean Water Act. Carballo-Díaz operated a guesthouse business called El Cacique Resort on the property located at the Southwest of Camino del Indio in the Las Mareas area of Salinas, Puerto Rico. Nathaniel Hernández-Claudio acted as a host and property manager at El Cacique Resort on the Property.

The second indictment charges Awildo Jiménez-Mercado with violations of the Clean Water Act and the Rivers and Harbors Act. Jiménez-Mercado knowingly discharged fill material from excavation and earth moving equipment into the wetlands and built a boat dock without authorization of the Secretary of the Army, in violation of the Rivers and Harbors Act.

Awildo Jiménez-Mercado also operated a guest house business called “Hidden Paradise” on a separate property. Both El Cacique Resort and Hidden Paradise offered guests a pool, outdoor dining areas, and housing units as short-term rentals.

The Clean Water Act was enacted by Congress in 1972 to protect and maintain the integrity of the waters of the United States. The Clean Water Act’s main purpose is to ensure the restoration and maintenance of the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters. It prohibits the discharge of any pollutant and fill material into waters of the United States except when a permit is obtained from the United States.

The Rivers and Harbors Act was originally enacted in 1899 and is generally considered the oldest environmental law in the United States. It serves to regulate and protect the navigable waters of the United States and prohibits the un-permitted construction of structures within those waters.

Both the Clean Water Act and the Rivers and Harbors Act protect the coastal waters within the Jobos Estuarine Reserve.

The Jobos Estuarine Reserve was designated as a National Estuarine Research Reserve by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 1981 and is comprised of approximately 2,800 acres of coastal ecosystems in the Southern coastal plain of Puerto Rico. The Jobos Estuarine Reserve contains mangrove islands, mangrove forests, tidal wetlands, coral reefs, lagoons, salt flats, dry forest, and seagrass beds. It is also home to the endangered brown pelican, peregrine falcon, hawksbill turtle, and West Indian manatee. The Jobos Estuarine Reserve is owned and operated by the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (PR‑DNER).

The three defendants were arrested and are scheduled to appear today before Magistrate Judge Marshal D. Morgan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico for their respective initial appearances. If convicted, the defendants are facing up to three years of imprisonment for the Clean Water Act violations, fines, and injunctive relief to remove violative structures. Jimenez-Mercado is also facing one year in prison for the River and Harbors Act violations.

W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, and Todd Kim, Assistant Attorney General of the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice made the announcement. 

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of the Environmental Crimes Section of the U.S. Department of Justice and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe, Environmental Litigation Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.

These indictments are part of an ongoing investigation that include two indictments returned in May 2023. See https://www.justice.gov/usao-pr/pr/two-men-indicted-environmental-crimes-committed-jobos-bay-national-estuarine-research.

If you have any information related to this investigation or environmental crimes in the area, please contact enforcement officials, which may be done anonymously. The EPA can be contacted at (787) 977-5821 or at https://echo.epa.gov/denuncie-violaciones-ambientales.  The FBI can be contacted at (787) 987-6500 or https://tips.fbi.gov/.

For more information on the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Reserve, please visit https://www.drna.pr.gov/jbnerr/ or https://coast.noaa.gov/nerrs/reserves/jobos-bay.html.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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23-441_gmm_indict_redacted.pdf 23-440_fab_indict_redacted.pdf

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On November 29, 2023, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging five individuals with drug trafficking.

According to court documents, Luis Javier Vázquez-Álvarez, a.k.a. “Javi Popcorn;” Luis Norberto Vázquez-Álvarez, a.k.a. “Luisito;” Meilyn Vázquez-Álvarez, a.k.a. “La Gorda;” Raymond Omar de Jesús-Rivera, a.k.a. “Villa;” and Sandra Álvarez-Rodríguez are charged with conspiring to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine. Specific defendants are charged with respect to three substantive charges relating to the possession with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine on separate occasions.

The United States alleges that Luis Javier Vázquez-Álvarez and Luis Norberto Vázquez-Álvarez, known as the “Popcorn Brothers,” have led a drug-trafficking organization in Puerto Rico and spanning the eastern seaboard since at least March of this year. The organization’s members acquired kilograms of cocaine in Puerto Rico and used the United States Postal Service to send the kilograms to the continental United States.

Luis Javier Vázquez-Álvarez, who resides in Puerto Rico, organized the purchase and shipment of cocaine from Puerto Rico to the continental United States. Defendants Meilyn Vázquez-Álvarez (the sister of the “Popcorn Brothers”) and Sandra Álvarez-Rodríguez (their mother) mailed numerous parcels containing cocaine from post offices throughout the south of Puerto Rico. Luis Norberto Vázquez-Álvarez, who lived in New Jersey, received parcels containing cocaine for further distribution there. The government alleges that Raymond Omar de Jesús-Rivera also conspired in Puerto Rico to facilitate the trafficking of drugs to the United States through the mail.

Luis Javier Vázquez-Álvarez is currently on bail for a murder case in the municipality of Guayama and engaged in the charged offenses while on bail. Luis Norberto Vázquez-Álvarez is on bail from two separate cases in New Jersey -- for assault and for money laundering. He also participated in the charged drug trafficking activities while on bail on those two cases.

If convicted, the defendants face a mandatory minimum of ten years, up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The announcement was made by W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, U.S. Postal Inspector Sigfredo Martínez, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office, Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA, Denise Foster, and Puerto Rico Police Bureau Commissioner, Colonel Antonio López-Figueroa.

The United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau’s Guayama Strike Force investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Vance Eaton is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On November 27, 2023, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an 18-count indictment charging three individuals with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, distribution of fentanyl and cocaine, possession of machineguns in furtherance of drug trafficking activities, and other firearms-related offenses.

According to court documents, Miguel A. Figueroa-Rodríguez, a/k/a “Tote,” José A. Torres-Narvaez, a/k/a “El Menor,” and Taishia L. Figueroa-Cruz, beginning on a date unknown, but no later than August 22, 2023, conspired with each other and with others to knowingly distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking offenses, as well as engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. Defendant Torres-Narvaez is also charged with being a felon in possession of firearms.

“Disrupting drug trafficking networks is vitally important to our ongoing effort to combat the fentanyl crisis in America and save lives,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “Our office will prosecute those who traffic in fentanyl and machineguns to the fullest extent of the law.”

“The opioid crisis is taking the lives of Americans every single day and our mission here in Puerto Rico is to protect our people from this national tragedy,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “The subjects in this case made it their business to deal kilos of pure fentanyl, so we had to act quickly. Rest assured our work here is only just beginning.”

During the conspiracy the charged individuals engaged in the following series of transactions:

• On August 25, 2023, they sold to the FBI approximately half a kilogram of fentanyl and a fully automatic firearm. (Below: photograph of fully automatic firearm and approximately half a kilogram of fentanyl seized in August 2023).

• On September 22 and September 26, 2023, they sold to the FBI approximately one  kilogram of cocaine and a fully automatic firearm. (Below:  photograph of message offering to sell rifle; photographs of approximately 1 kilogram of cocaine, and a fully automatic firearm seized in September 2023).

• On October 16, 2023, they sold to the FBI approximately one eighth of a kilogram of a substance that tested positive to fentanyl, a Glock firearm, and an AR-Type Privately Made Firearm (“PMF”).  (Below: photographs of seized Glock firearm, an AR-Type Privately Made Firearm (“PMF”), and approximately 1/8th of a kilogram of a substance that tested positive to fentanyl).

• All three individuals were arrested on December 4, 2023. At the time of their arrest, they were in possession of approximately half of a kilogram of a substance that is presumed to be cocaine.

The defendants are scheduled for their initial court appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marshal D. Morgan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted for the conspiracy drug trafficking charges the defendants are facing a mandatory minimum of 10 years of imprisonment with a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. The firearms offenses in furtherance of the drug trafficking crimes carry a consecutive penalty of thirty years (machineguns) or five years (firearms) up to life imprisonment.  The felon-in-possession of firearms carry a maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and the engaging in the business of dealing in firearms carry a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Marshal Service are investigating the case.

Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section Max J. Pérez-Bouret; Deputy Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section, AUSA María L. Montañez-Concepción; and AUSA Antonio J. López-Rivera are prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-coordinated, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a 60-count superseding indictment charging 18 individuals with importation of cocaine and marijuana into the District of Puerto Rico and continental United States, and money laundering. The investigation is still ongoing. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are in charge of the investigation, with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Customs and Border Protection, CBP Air and Marine Operations, the U.S. Marshal Service, the Puerto Rico Treasury Department, and the Barceloneta Police Department. To date, law enforcement has seized over six million dollars in U.S. currency and assets, approximately ten firearms, and over two thousand kilograms of narcotics.

“Today’s announcement is a testament to the collaborative efforts of all our partners who work to dismantle these dangerous drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and stop these criminals from harming our communities,” said United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow.

“The leader of this organization shows no respect for authorities, continuing operations from behind bars,” said Rebecca González-Ramos, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations. “Today we dismantled his criminal empire, focusing on arresting all individuals involved and seizing millions of dollars in assets acquired with drug money.”

According to the superseding indictment, the defendants conspired to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana. The individuals charged in the superseding indictment are:

José Julio Rodríguez-Cumba, a.k.a. “Chambi/Chembi/Josué/Chambo/Patrón”

Bárbara Valentín-Rivera, a.k.a. “Barbara Paola”

Luis Crespo-Cumba, a.k.a. “La L”

Luis Roberto Alvarado-Reyes, a.k.a. “El Viejo”

Ricardo Lopez-Ramos, a.k.a. “Ricky”

Héctor L. Derkes, a.k.a. “El Venezolano”

William J. Pantoja-Nieves, a.k.a. “W”

Luis J. Hernández-Cruz, a.k.a. “Tampa Pana”

Edwin Daniel Gonzalez-Reyes, a.k.a. “Cotto” and “Coto”

Fernando Cortes-Flores, a.k.a. “La Bruja”

Emiliano Feliciano-Hernández

Luis Héctor Adames-Nieves, a.k.a. “Monki”

Ángel Xavier Pérez-Olivencia, a.k.a. “Chavy”

Niurka A. Rodríguez-Cumba, a.k.a. “Adela”

Marta D. Cardona-Cumba

Christian Prado

Luis Alberto Bourdon-Román, a.k.a. “El Negro Capi Bueno”

Edwin Candelaria-Ramos

According to court documents, José Julio Rodríguez-Cumba, directed a large-scale drug trafficking organization that imported and distributed multi-hundred-kilogram shipments of cocaine from South America, into Puerto Rico and the continental United States. The organization also received multi-kilogram shipments of marijuana from the continental United States for distribution throughout Puerto Rico. The superseding indictment alleges that Rodríguez-Cumba’s drug trafficking organization is involved in the distribution and sale of over two thousand kilograms of cocaine and marijuana. Rodríguez-Cumba has been designated as a Regional Priority Organization Target (RPOT) under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program.

As the alleged principal or leader of a drug trafficking organization, Rodríguez-Cumba is also charged in Count Five with engaging in a Continuing Criminal Enterprise (CCE) whose purpose was to “smuggle, import, offload, purchase, distribute, and supply controlled substances within Puerto Rico and the continental United States all for significant financial gain and profit.” In furtherance of the enterprise, Rodríguez-Cumba, in concert with his associates, including co-conspirators identified in the superseding indictment, committed and caused to be committed, a continuing series of felony drug violations, including but not limited to:

(a) Conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States;

(b) Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances;

(c) Importation of cocaine into the United States;

(d) Attempted importation of cocaine into the United States; and

(e) Distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

The defendants acted in different roles to further the goals of the drug trafficking conspiracy, to include: Principal Leaders, who were responsible for the day-to-day organizational and operational decision making in Puerto Rico; Cell Leaders, who were responsible for the day-to-day organizational and operational decision making of the cells located and operating in the continental United States; Money Launderers, who were responsible for conducting financial transactions with the goal of legitimizing and disguising millions of dollars in narcotics proceeds generated by the organization; Transporters: who were responsible for the transportation of the narcotics from South America into Puerto Rico, and subsequently into the continental United States; and Enforcers or Hitmen, who were responsible for protecting and securing the assets and members of the organization from rival drug trafficking organization to include committing acts of violence on behalf of the organization. Seven defendants are also charged, in Count Ten, with possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.

The superseding indictment also charges the defendants with several counts of money laundering. José Julio Rodríguez-Cumba is alleged to have made efforts to disguise the narcotics proceeds as legitimate earnings by establishing several business entities and deposits for Lottery “winnings” from:

1. September 24, 2020, he deposited two winnings for $35,000 and $40,000;
2. December 16, 2020, he deposited winnings for $10,000;
3. December 29, 2020, he deposited winnings for $15,000;
4. February 26, 2121, he deposited winnings for $10,000;
5. March 10, 2121, he deposited winnings for $50,050; and
6. May 14, 2121, he deposited winnings for $250,000.

In total, in a span of eight months, José Julio Rodríguez-Cumba allegedly “won” the lottery seven times for a total of $375,050 in lottery winnings. As part of the manner and means of the money laundering conspiracy, Jose Julio Rodríguez-Cumba and his co-defendants opened personal and corporate bank accounts to manage the finances from both their businesses and its drug trafficking operation, structured both cash deposits and withdrawals to evade financial transaction reporting requirements, made transfers from personal bank accounts to corporate bank accounts and vice-versa to disguise the source and nature of the funds, and used mobile payment systems to transfer proceeds from person to person and avoid detection from authorities.

The superseding indictment also includes forfeiture allegations of more than six million dollars in assets including cash, real property, and personal property, as well as firearms.

If convicted, Rodríguez-Cumba faces a statutory mandatory penalty of life in prison pursuant to Title 21, U.S.C., Section 848(b). All co-defendants charged in the drug conspiracy (Count One) are facing a mandatory minimum of 10 years of imprisonment with a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. The money laundering offenses carry a maximum sentence of twenty years of imprisonment. The firearms offense carries a consecutive penalty of five years to life imprisonment.

Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section Max J. Pérez-Bouret; Deputy Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section, AUSA María L. Montañez-Concepción; and AUSAs Jorge L. Matos and Ryan R. McCabe are prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-coordinated, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On November 29, 2023, a grand jury returned an indictment against Victoria Gabriela Rodríguez-Morales for making thirteen interstate threats between May and October 2023 in violation of 18 U.S.C. 875(c), announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. 

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office has no tolerance for illegal threats, especially threats that target people who are the victims of the horrific mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “We hope that this arrest brings a sense of peace to those who were targeted by the defendant.”

“Threatening with violence, under any context, is unacceptable behavior. Making threats of violence to schools and other public institutions, is a federal crime,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “School shootings are one of the most heinous of violent acts, and those impacted by this tragedy, such as the family, friends and co-workers of the victims of the Uvalde school shooting, deserve to grieve and process their experiences in peace. The subject in this case was hundreds of miles away from the place she intended to torment through threats of violence. Yet she was still identified, located and arrested. May this serve as public notice that this behavior will not be tolerated, in Puerto Rico or anywhere else in the nation.”

According to the indictment, the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint and other public documents, Rodríguez-Morales used Gmail, Instagram, Facebook and Kick.com to threaten schools, hospitals and law enforcement in Uvalde, Texas.  Some of the threats referenced Salvador Ramos, who murdered in May 2022 several students and teachers from the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.  Rodríguez-Morales described Ramos’ victims as “all the little losers souls … I pray for them to be burning in hell.”   Rodríguez-Morales’ interstate threats included the following:

“They will shoot uvalde high school and morales jr high whenever I tell 'em So yeah the persecution is gonna start today”

“I will haunt everyone from class 2022 to 2023 Each and every single one of y’all will die”

“Each and every single one of y’all will die in the name of Salvador”

“Your childrens hospital may blow in pieces If yall dont do as i say”

“there will be bombs at the uvalde memorial hospital”

“We will shoot Uvalde Texas high school and Texas A&M college”

“If Mata Rubio wins the elections I will kill her” 

Kimberly Mata-Rubio, whose daughter was killed in the Uvalde shooting, ran to become mayor of Uvalde.

At least one of Rodríguez-Morales’s prior threats resulted in the temporary closing of a school in Texas.

Each the thirteen counts of conviction carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.   If the defendant is found guilty, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeanette M. Collazo-Ortiz of the Violent Crimes Division is prosecuting the case.  The FBI’s San Juan Cyber and Violent Crimes Divisions are in charge of the investigation with collaboration from the United States Secret Service.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

Two Puerto Rican men were sentenced today to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release each for federal charges of conspiracy to commit a hate crime and obstruction of justice, arising out of an assault with a dangerous weapon against a transgender woman because of her gender identity.

“The defendants have been held accountable for assaulting a Latina transgender woman because of her gender identity and then trying to obstruct an investigation into that assault,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No one should live in fear of hate-fueled violence because of who they are. The Justice Department is committed to investigating and prosecuting people who target LGBTQI+ people with acts of violence or who try to obstruct investigations into these heinous crimes. We hope that this prosecution makes clear to LGBTQI+ victims and survivors that we see them, and we hear them, and we will stand up for them when they are targeted by hate-fueled violence.”

“The defendants’ attack endangered and terrified their victim, and such actions have no place in our community,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “Bias-motivated violence not only runs contrary to our values but violates federal civil rights laws. We recognize the very real threats and acts of violence faced by the LGBTQI+ community and are determined to use every tool available to preserve the life, safety, and dignity of this community. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to seek justice for all victims of hate crimes and will vigorously prosecute anyone who commits unlawful acts of hate-fueled violence.”

“Every human being should be treated with respect and dignity,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “There are no minor offenses when it comes to hate crimes. We at the FBI reiterate our position of zero tolerance for hate and ask anyone who has been a victim or a witness to a hate crime, to report it either by calling your local FBI field office or by leaving a tip online through tips.fbi.gov.”

According to court documents, on Feb. 24, 2020, at around 12:29 a.m. ET, Jordany Rafael Laboy-Garcia and Christian Yamaurie Rivera-Otero, along with their former co-defendant Anthony Steven Lobos-Ruiz, were out driving together in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, when they saw the victim, identified as A.N.L., standing under a tent near the side of the road. The defendants recognized A.N.L. from social media posts concerning an incident that had occurred the day prior at a McDonald’s in Toa Baja. During that incident, A.N.L. had used a stall in the McDonald’s women’s restroom.

Upon recognizing A.N.L., Lobos-Ruiz used his iPhone to record a video of himself yelling, “la loca, la loca,” as well as other disparaging and threatening comments to A.N.L. from inside the car. The defendants then decided to get a paintball gun to shoot A.N.L. and record another iPhone video. Within 30 minutes, they retrieved a paintball gun and returned to the location where they had last seen A.N.L., who was still at that location. Lobos-Ruiz then used his iPhone to record Laboy-Garcia shooting at A.N.L. multiple times with the paintball gun. After the assault ended, Lobos Ruiz shared the iPhone video recordings with others.

Several hours later, Rivera-Otero and Lobos-Ruiz exchanged text messages, in which they told each other to delete the evidence of their harassment and paintball gun assault of A.N.L., in order to conceal their involvement. Following this message exchange, Lobos-Ruiz deleted the videos on his iPhone of himself yelling at A.N.L. and of Laboy-Garcia firing paintballs at A.N.L.

As part of the plea agreement, Laboy-Garcia pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit a hate crime and admitted that he shot paintballs at A.N.L. because she was, and was perceived to be, transgender. Rivera-Otero pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and admitted to directing his co-defendant to delete video recordings of the biased motivated assault and harassment of A.N.L.

Lobos-Ruiz previously pleaded guilty to committing a hate crime, admitting that he participated in assaulting A.N.L. because she was, and was perceived to be, transgender and was sentenced to 33 months in prison.  

The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Contreras for the District of Puerto Rico and Trial Attorney Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.

###

Two Puerto Rican men were sentenced today to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release each for federal charges of conspiracy to commit a hate crime and obstruction of justice, arising out of an assault with a dangerous weapon against a transgender woman because of her gender identity.

“The defendants have been held accountable for assaulting a Latina transgender woman because of her gender identity and then trying to obstruct an investigation into that assault,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No one should live in fear of hate-fueled violence because of who they are. The Justice Department is committed to investigating and prosecuting people who target LGBTQI+ people with acts of violence or who try to obstruct investigations into these heinous crimes. We hope that this prosecution makes clear to LGBTQI+ victims and survivors that we see them, and we hear them, and we will stand up for them when they are targeted by hate-fueled violence.”

“The defendants’ attack endangered and terrified their victim, and such actions have no place in our community,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “Bias-motivated violence not only runs contrary to our values but violates federal civil rights laws. We recognize the very real threats and acts of violence faced by the LGBTQI+ community and are determined to use every tool available to preserve the life, safety, and dignity of this community. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to seek justice for all victims of hate crimes and will vigorously prosecute anyone who commits unlawful acts of hate-fueled violence.”

“Every human being should be treated with respect and dignity,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “There are no minor offenses when it comes to hate crimes. We at the FBI reiterate our position of zero tolerance for hate and ask anyone who has been a victim or a witness to a hate crime, to report it either by calling your local FBI field office or by leaving a tip online through tips.fbi.gov.”

According to court documents, on Feb. 24, 2020, at around 12:29 a.m. ET, Jordany Rafael Laboy-Garcia and Christian Yamaurie Rivera-Otero, along with their former co-defendant Anthony Steven Lobos-Ruiz, were out driving together in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, when they saw the victim, identified as A.N.L., standing under a tent near the side of the road. The defendants recognized A.N.L. from social media posts concerning an incident that had occurred the day prior at a McDonald’s in Toa Baja. During that incident, A.N.L. had used a stall in the McDonald’s women’s restroom.

Upon recognizing A.N.L., Lobos-Ruiz used his iPhone to record a video of himself yelling, “la loca, la loca,” as well as other disparaging and threatening comments to A.N.L. from inside the car. The defendants then decided to get a paintball gun to shoot A.N.L. and record another iPhone video. Within 30 minutes, they retrieved a paintball gun and returned to the location where they had last seen A.N.L., who was still at that location. Lobos-Ruiz then used his iPhone to record Laboy-Garcia shooting at A.N.L. multiple times with the paintball gun. After the assault ended, Lobos Ruiz shared the iPhone video recordings with others.

Several hours later, Rivera-Otero and Lobos-Ruiz exchanged text messages, in which they told each other to delete the evidence of their harassment and paintball gun assault of A.N.L., in order to conceal their involvement. Following this message exchange, Lobos-Ruiz deleted the videos on his iPhone of himself yelling at A.N.L. and of Laboy-Garcia firing paintballs at A.N.L.

As part of the plea agreement, Laboy-Garcia pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit a hate crime and admitted that he shot paintballs at A.N.L. because she was, and was perceived to be, transgender. Rivera-Otero pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and admitted to directing his co-defendant to delete video recordings of the biased motivated assault and harassment of A.N.L.

Lobos-Ruiz previously pleaded guilty to committing a hate crime, admitting that he participated in assaulting A.N.L. because she was, and was perceived to be, transgender and was sentenced to 33 months in prison.  

The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Contreras for the District of Puerto Rico and Trial Attorney Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A Russian and Moldovan national pled guilty to three counts of violating 18 U.S.C. § 1030(a)(5)(A) Fraud and Related Activity in Connection with Computers.

The FBI today revealed US law enforcement’s dismantlement of a botnet proxy network and its infrastructure associated with the IPStorm malware.

According to online reports, the botnet infrastructure had infected Windows systems then further expanded to infect Linux, Mac, and Android devices, victimizing computers and other electronic devices around the world, including in Asia, Europe, North America and South America.   

In connection with the operation of that IPStorm malware and botnet proxy service, on September 18, 2023, Sergei Makinin, a Russian and Moldovan national, pled guilty to three counts of violating 18 U.S.C. § 1030(a)(5)(A), knowingly causing the transmission of a program that intentionally caused damage without authorization to protected computers.  Each count of conviction carries a statutory maximum of ten years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

According to court documents, from at least June 2019 through December 2022, Makinin developed and deployed malicious software to hack thousands of Internet-connected devices around the world, including in Puerto Rico.  Makinin controlled these infected devices as part of an extensive botnet, which is a network of compromised devices.  The main purpose of the botnet was to turn infected devices into proxies as part of a for-profit scheme, which made access to these proxies available through Makinin’s websites, proxx.io and proxx.net.  Through those websites, Makinin sold illegitimate access to the infected, controlled devices to customers seeking to hide their Internet activities. A single customer could pay hundreds of dollars a month to route traffic through thousands of infected computers.  Makinin’s publicly-accessible website advertised that he had over 23,000 “highly anonymous” proxies from all over the world.  Makinin acknowledged that he gained at least $550,000 from the scheme. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Makinin will forfeit cryptocurrency wallets linked to the offense.

“This investigation shows that we will use every lawful tool at our disposal to disrupt cybercriminals, regardless of their location,” said U.S. Attorney Stephen Muldrow.  “This case serves as a warning that the reach of the law is long, and criminals anywhere who use computers to commit crimes may end up facing the consequences of their actions in places they did not anticipate.”

“It is no secret that in present times, much criminal activity is conducted or enabled through cybernetic means. Cybercriminals seek to remain anonymous and derive a sense of security because they hide behind keyboards, often thousands of miles away from their victims,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “The FBI’s cyber mission has been to impose risk and consequences on our adversaries, ensuring cyberspace is no safe space for criminal activity. This case is one example of how we are doing just that, and I’d like to thank the DOJ’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, and the FBI San Juan Cyber Team for their meticulous and relentless work in this case.”

The scope of the law enforcement dismantlement was limited to disabling the defendant’s infrastructure and did not extend to the information of the owners and users of the computers.  The FBI emphasizes the importance of keeping computers updated with the latest security patches and operating systems.     

The case was investigated by the FBI San Juan Cyber Team, with cooperation from the FBI legal attaché office in Madrid in coordination with the Spanish National Police-Cyber Attack Group; and the FBI Legal Attaché office in Santo Domingo, in coordination with the Dominican National Police-Interpol and Dominican National Police-International Organized Crime Division, and Ministry of the Interior and Police-Immigration Directorate.  Valuable assistance was provided by the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance (NCFTA.net), including Bitdefender DRACO Team, Anomali Threat Research, and Intezer.  The NCFTA is an alliance of business and law enforcement working together to disrupt cybercrime.

The case was prosecuted by AUSA Jonathan Gottfried of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico and Senior Counsel Jane Lee and Jeff Pearlman of the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, with assistance from the Office of International Affairs.

###

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Carlos Alberto Hernández-Laguer, a/k/a “Brea”, Luis Roberto De León-Sánchez, a/k/a “Coco”, and Misael Ruiz-Valentín, a/k/a “Misa”, with four counts of conspiracy to import cocaine, importation of cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

On November 6, 2023, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Juan, Seaport-Border Enforcement Security Taskforce (BEST) and partner agencies, arrested three longshoremen working at the Port of San Juan for their involvement in facilitating the transportation of narcotics between the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and the Continental United States.

According to court documents, on or about June 7, 2022, the defendants intentionally conspired and agreed to possess, import, and distribute cocaine into the United States from the Dominican Republic. The HSI San Juan Seaport-BEST investigation revealed that the three Port of San Juan longshoremen were members of a Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO) operating between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. These longshoremen exploited their positions to circumvent security and smuggle large quantities of cocaine concealed in cargo ship containers and compartments/voids within the cargo ships.

“Disrupting drug trafficking networks is vitally important to our ongoing efforts to combat the drug trafficking in Puerto Rico and the violence associated with drug trafficking,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “International cartels like these affect many jurisdictions and stopping them requires robust coordination with our domestic and international partners.”

HSI San Juan Special Agent in Charge, Rebecca González-Ramos said: “Our agents are relentless in their efforts to protect our borders by dismantling any criminal scheme that facilitates the entrance of poisonous narcotics into our island.  This multi-agency law enforcement collaboration is a great example of the work we are doing to detect any intent to smuggle deadly contraband into our communities. With these arrests, HSI is sending a clear and strong message: nobody is above the law, we will find those who violate the law and hold them accountable for their decisions -- especially those in critical positions in our ports that create vulnerabilities to our island.”

If convicted, the defendants face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in jail and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This significant operation was successful with the support of U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations San Juan, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Coast Guard Investigative Services and CBP Air and Marine Operations.

Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Max Pérez-Bouret, Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section, AUSA María L. Montañez-Concepción, Deputy Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section, and AUSA Camille García-Jiménez are prosecuting the case.

For more information about HSI’s efforts to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations visit: Homeland Security Investigations. To report suspicious activities, please call (787) 729-6969 (24 hours, 7 days a week).

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

# # #

About Homeland Security Investigations

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.

# HSI #

WASHINGTON – A federal court in Puerto Rico entered a consent decree requiring Droguería Betances, LLC (Betances), one of Puerto Rico’s largest distributors of pharmaceutical drugs, to pay $12 million and make extensive improvements to its compliance program, the Justice Department announced today.

The consent decree resolves a complaint filed by the United States on Nov. 3, alleging that from 2016 through at least June 2019, Betances failed to report to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) hundreds of “suspicious orders” for opioids and other controlled substances distributed to Betances’ pharmacy customers — i.e., orders that were unusual in their frequency, size or other patterns. According to the complaint, this included at least 655 suspicious orders for fentanyl and at least 113 suspicious orders for oxycodone, both of which are frequently misused products that have been contributing to the current opioid abuse epidemic.

In addition, the complaint alleged that from May 2017 to July 2018, Betances failed to make required reports of its distribution transactions to DEA via an automated reporting system, including all of Betances’ distributions of Schedule II opioids during that period — more than 7.8 million dosage units. According to the complaint, Betances also committed hundreds of recordkeeping violations, such as filling orders for controlled substances with defective order forms and submitting inaccurate shipping or delivery information to DEA.

According to the consent decree, the Justice Department conducted an analysis of Betances’ financial condition in relation to its potential exposure to civil fines and forfeiture. Based in part on ability to pay, the consent decree requires Betances to pay $12 million over five years in annual payments, with $10.2 million in the form of civil penalties and $1.8 million in civil forfeiture.

The consent decree also requires Betances to make extensive improvements in its compliance program. Betances must implement improved controlled substance monitoring program procedures and systems to review all orders of controlled substances and to detect and report suspicious orders to DEA. Betances must also improve its procedures and systems for conducting due diligence reviews of its pharmacy customers. The consent decree further requires Betances to submit annual reports about its compliance program and customers to DEA and other Justice Department components. Betances must also improve its ARCOS reporting system to ensure proper and accurate reporting of all acquisitions and distributions of Schedule II controlled substances.

“Companies that distribute controlled substances to pharmacies and other points of sale have an important responsibility to help stop the illegal distribution of controlled substances by reporting suspicious orders to DEA,” said Principal Deputy Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who fail to fulfill their reporting obligations.”

“The duty to report suspicious orders and other reporting requirements imposed on wholesale pharmaceutical distributors by the Controlled Substance Act is critical to ensuring the safety of our citizens from potential harm, including those associated with drug diversion, drug tampering and drug overdoses resulting from illegal drug sales and consumption,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to do everything in our power to ensure compliance and will use all legal remedies available to hold corporate entities and individuals accountable.”

“As we continue to face unprecedented loss of American lives during the ongoing opioid epidemic, DEA believes that everyone within the pharmaceutical supply chain is responsible for doing their due diligence to prevent the diversion of controlled substances,” said Assistant Administrator Thomas W. Prevoznik of the DEA’s Diversion Control Division. “Compliance with the law is one of the best acts of prevention our registrants can do to ensure that these drugs are distributed for legitimate medical use. Reporting suspicious orders is required under the law and a key part in keeping our communities safe.”

The DEA’s Diversion Control Division, Caribbean Division, San Juan Division Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys David O. Martorani-Dale and Gabriella S. Paglieri for the District of Puerto Rico and Trial Attorney Tom Rosso of the Civil Divison’s Consumer Protection Branch represented the United States.

The claims resolved by the consent decree announced today are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

###

betances_consent_decree.pdf

A federal court in Puerto Rico entered a consent decree requiring Droguería Betances LLC (Betances), one of Puerto Rico’s largest distributors of pharmaceutical drugs, to pay $12 million and make extensive improvements to its compliance program, the Justice Department announced today.

The consent decree resolves a complaint filed by the United States on Nov. 3, alleging that from 2016 through at least June 2019, Betances failed to report to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) hundreds of “suspicious orders” for opioids and other controlled substances distributed to Betances’ pharmacy customers — i.e., orders that were unusual in their frequency, size or other patterns. According to the complaint, this included at least 655 suspicious orders for fentanyl and at least 113 suspicious orders for oxycodone, both of which are frequently misused products that have been contributing to the current opioid abuse epidemic.

In addition, the complaint alleged that from May 2017 to July 2018, Betances failed to make required reports of its distribution transactions to DEA via an automated reporting system, including all of Betances’ distributions of Schedule II opioids during that period — more than 7.8 million dosage units. According to the complaint, Betances also committed hundreds of recordkeeping violations, such as filling orders for controlled substances with defective order forms and submitting inaccurate shipping or delivery information to DEA.

According to the consent decree, the Justice Department conducted an analysis of Betances’ financial condition in relation to its potential exposure to civil fines and forfeiture. Based in part on ability to pay, the consent decree requires Betances to pay $12 million over five years in annual payments, with $10.2 million in the form of civil penalties and $1.8 million in civil forfeiture.

The consent decree also requires Betances to make extensive improvements in its compliance program. Betances must implement improved controlled substance monitoring program procedures and systems to review all orders of controlled substances and to detect and report suspicious orders to DEA. Betances must also improve its procedures and systems for conducting due diligence reviews of its pharmacy customers. The consent decree further requires Betances to submit annual reports about its compliance program and customers to DEA and other Justice Department components. Betances must also improve its ARCOS reporting system to ensure proper and accurate reporting of all acquisitions and distributions of Schedule II controlled substances.

“Companies that distribute controlled substances to pharmacies and other points of sale have an important responsibility to help stop the illegal distribution of controlled substances by reporting suspicious orders to DEA,” said Principal Deputy Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who fail to fulfill their reporting obligations.”

“The duty to report suspicious orders and other reporting requirements imposed on wholesale pharmaceutical distributors by the Controlled Substance Act is critical to ensuring the safety of our citizens from potential harm, including those associated with drug diversion, drug tampering and drug overdoses resulting from illegal drug sales and consumption,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to do everything in our power to ensure compliance and will use all legal remedies available to hold corporate entities and individuals accountable.”

“As we continue to face unprecedented loss of American lives during the ongoing opioid epidemic, DEA believes that everyone within the pharmaceutical supply chain is responsible for doing their due diligence to prevent the diversion of controlled substances,” said Assistant Administrator Thomas W. Prevoznik of the DEA's Diversion Control Division. “Compliance with the law is one of the best acts of prevention our registrants can do to ensure that these drugs are distributed for legitimate medical use. Reporting suspicious orders is required under the law and a key part in keeping our communities safe.”

The DEA’s Diversion Control Division, Caribbean Division, San Juan Division Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys David O. Martorani-Dale and Gabriella S. Paglieri for the District of Puerto Rico and Trial Attorney Tom Rosso of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch represented the United States.

The claims resolved by the consent decree announced today are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

Consent Decree

SAN JUAN – A federal jury convicted Héctor Kalie Figueroa-Marbelt for helping a member of Los 27 prison gang with engaging in the business of selling firearms without a license.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Los 27 gang was a criminal organization which operated from within the prisons of Puerto Rico using illegally introduced cellphones. To make money from prison, Los 27 members engaged in murder, drug trafficking, extortion, and firearms trafficking. Los 27 members also engaged in firearms trafficking to supply firearms to the members of the criminal organization who would leave prison. Figueroa-Marbelt helped Los 27 with this crime.

The evidence at trial showed that Figueroa-Marbelt was the “outside person” for a Los 27 member considered to be the point of contact for firearms within Los 27—Victor Elias-Boza, aka “Grilla.” From prison, Elias-Boza brokered the sale of a firearm, and Figueroa-Marbelt delivered the firearm. In December 2019, Figueroa-Marbelt delivered a firearm, which Elias-Boza agreed to sell to another member of Los 27. That day, Figueroa-Marbelt showed that he was ready and able to engage in firearms trafficking, offering to sell more firearms. Figueroa-Marbelt had numerous firearms for sale at his disposal.

In September 2021, the FBI arrested Figueroa-Marbelt and seized eight firearms, over 2,000 rounds of ammunition, and money in Figueroa-Marbelt’s possession. The FBI also found that Figueroa-Marbelt had sufficient firearm parts that arrived in the mail, accessories, and tools to manufacture additional firearms. In sum, the evidenced showed that Figueroa-Marbelt was ready and able to sell firearms for profit with Elias-Boza.

Figueroa-Marbelt is now facing a sentence of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a supervised release term of up to three years.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor O. Acevedo-Hernández was in charge of prosecuting the case.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico –Félix Verdejo-Sánchez was sentenced today to life in prison for federal crimes that arise from the murder of Keishla Rodríguez Ortiz on April 29, 2021.

On July 28, 2023, a jury determined, according to court documents and evidence presented at trial, that Félix Verdejo-Sánchez, along with his co-defendant Luis Antonio Cádiz-Martínez, aiding and abetting each other, committed a kidnapping that resulted in the death of Keishla M. Rodríguez Ortiz and her unborn child.

On the morning of April 29, 2021, Félix Verdejo-Sánchez executed a premeditated plan to murder Keishla Rodríguez Ortiz and her unborn child by luring Ms. Rodríguez Ortiz into his Dodge Durango where, with the assistance of Luis Cádiz Martínez, Verdejo punched Ms. Rodríguez Ortiz, injected her with drugs and then tied her with metal wire to a cement block. Mr. Verdejo Sánchez then drove the victim to the Teodoro Moscoso bridge, and, with Cadiz’s assistance, threw Ms. Rodríguez Ortiz into the San José Lagoon. He later jumped into the lagoon in order to finish murdering both victims.

“Today’s life sentence rightly holds Verdejo-Sánchez responsible for the pain and suffering he inflicted on his victims,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.  “To this day, the defendant maintains his unrepentant attitude. Like Verdejo-Sánchez now knows, anyone who commits cold-blooded crimes of violence in violation of federal law will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law by the Justice Department and this office.”

“In cases such as this one, regardless of the outcome, there is no way to restore what has been lost,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “The only salve we can offer victim’s families is to do our work zealously and without rest, until justice is served. I believe we have done that here and I pray that this will give Keishla’s family some peace. Special recognitions to the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, the Police of Puerto Rico and to our Violent Crimes Squad for a detailed and arduous job well done.”

The FBI was in charge of the investigation with the close collaboration and support of the Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice.

Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Gottfried, Chief of the Violent Crimes and National Security Section at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeanette Collazo prosecuted the case.

# # #

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico– United States District Court Judge Aida Delgado-Colón sentenced Ángel Gabriel Díaz-Rosado, a youth basketball coach from Toa Baja to 15 years in prison and 15 years of supervised release.  Díaz-Rosado was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents in 2019 after being charged for attempted production of child pornography, coercion and enticement of minors, and transfer of obscene material to a minor. 

According to court documents, Ángel Gabriel Díaz-Rosado plead guilty on June 20, 2023, for enticement and coercion of a 13-year-old male minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct, knowing that such visual depiction would be transported in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce by using any means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce.

In March of 2019, the defendant was a youth basketball coach for minor males. During such period, Díaz Rosado used his cell phone via the WhatsApp messaging application to communicate and request sexually explicit images of a 13-year-old male minor he coached. Díaz Rosado communicated with the male minor in a sexually explicit manner, requested images of the minor’s penis, and videos of the minor masturbating. The minor complied with the requests and sent the sexually explicit images to Díaz Rosado.

“The actions of this individual in this case were nothing short of reprehensible,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “He shamefully targeted minors who were under his care. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to protecting children from abuse and holding accountable those individuals who would victimize minors.”

HSI Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos said: “We must be vigilant and unwavering in our commitment to stop predators, especially the ones serving in public trust positions. This individual was a former basketball coach and a Physical Education teacher; we feel that justice was served with today’s sentence. HSI will continue its efforts to protect our children and will continue to collaborate with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to investigate and apprehend those who attempt to abuse them.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit, Jenifer Y. Hernández-Vega, prosecuted the case.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led the investigation with the assistance of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau and the Puerto Rico Department of Family.

For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardians; and to report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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About Homeland Security Investigations

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.

# HSI #

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Hainze Díaz Arroyo, also known in the music industry as “Hanzel la H”, with firearms violations. Díaz Arroyo was arrested on July 10 for violating his federal supervised release and has remained detained since his arrest.

According to court documents, Díaz Arroyo was charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, that is, a convicted felon. Specifically, it was alleged that on July 10, 2023, Díaz Arroyo, knowing he had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly possess a firearm.  Díaz Arroyo possessed a Glock model 23 .40 caliber pistol, one 13-round capacity magazine, one 22-round capacity magazine, and 36 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition.

“Fighting gun violence remains a top priority for our office and the Justice Department and, as this case shows, we are steadfast in our commitment to prosecute those who violate federal firearms laws,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We commend the special agents, Deputy U.S. Marshals, and prosecutors who continue working together to fight against violent crime in our communities.”

HSI Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos said: “To reduce the violence on our island, we need to focus on removing the firearms and the violent individuals from the streets; this is the second time in the last ten years that this individual has been arrested for firearm violations. As an agency, we will not tolerate violent individuals who believe they are above the law.” 

United States Marshal for the District of Puerto Rico, Wilmer Ocasio-Ibarra said: “This significant arrest highlights the strategic coordination and collaboration of the United States Marshal Service and Homeland Security Investigations. Hainze Díaz Arroyo thought he would evade the authorities in Puerto Rico. The U.S. Marshals Service is committed to the safety of our community, we will never stop the search of violent fugitives who are trying to evade the law.  As we have always pointed out, it is a matter of time before we knock on your door.” 

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Marshals are investigating the case, with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Zapata-Valladares, Deputy Chief of the Gang Unit, and AUSA Corinne Cordero-Romo are prosecuting the case.

To report suspicious activities related to the illegal movement of firearms, call HSI San Juan's 24/7 phone line at 787-729-6969.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Ivelisse Rivera-Padilla, Carla Carrillo-Torres, and VIP Healthcare Solutions, Inc. (“VIP Healthcare”) pleaded guilty before United States District Court Chief Judge Raul M. Arias Marxuach.  

VIP Healthcare pleaded guilty to making a false statement in connection with a Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan application, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1014. As admitted in Court by VIP Healthcare’s secretary, Carla Carrillo-Torres, the company falsely certified the accuracy of their April 7, 2020, PPP loan application for $249,755.35 and failed to identify additional owners of VIP Healthcare that owned more than 20% of the company.

Carla Carrillo-Torres separately pleaded guilty to violating 15 U.S.C. § 645(c) and admitted to submitting the fraudulent PPP loan application on behalf of VIP Healthcare. Additionally, Carla Carrillo-Torres admitted to answering “no” when required to disclose if any owner of VIP Healthcare was presently involved in any bankruptcy proceeding. At the time, Carla Carrillo-Torres knew that her partner, Ivelisse Rivera-Padilla, owned more than 20% of VIP Healthcare and was involved in a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy proceeding.  The pending bankruptcy would have precluded VIP Healthcare from obtaining the PPP loan if disclosed to the United States Small Business Administration.  

Ivelisse Rivera-Padilla, the President of VIP Healthcare and a licensed attorney, pleaded guilty to 14 counts of bankruptcy fraud for making materially false representations in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 157.

Ivelisse Rivera-Padilla concealed property and income and failed to disclose all of the bankruptcy estate during the course of her bankruptcy proceedings, including, but not limited to, the creation, operation, ownership, and control of VIP Healthcare, which operated the “Job Andujar” Diagnostic and Treatment Center in the Municipality of Cataño until approximately March 25, 2023.

Ivelisse Rivera-Padilla also concealed the purchase of an apartment located at Condominium Golf & Playa, Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, for $270,000, and a 2,159.5152 square-meter plot of land located at Rainforest and Sea View Resort in Luquillo, Puerto Rico, for $275,000. Rivera-Padilla further concealed her interest in another corporate entity known as Farmacia Libertad, as well as income from a rental property business through AirBnB.

The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on January 17, 2024. Both Carla Carrillo-Torres and Ivelisse Rivera-Padilla have agreed to forfeit any interest in the two concealed properties as a part of their plea agreement, in additional to the sentence to be imposed by United States District Court Chief Judge Raul M. Arias Marxuach.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; Mary Ida Townson, U.S. Trustee for Georgia, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands (Region 21); and Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Trustee Program are investigating the case.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney José Capó Iriarte and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney José C. Díaz Vega from the Office of the U.S. Trustee are prosecuting the case.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A Carolina man was arrested on criminal charges related to his alleged child exploitation conduct.

On October 13, 2023, Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Juan arrested Matthew John McGlone, a 33-year-old man from Carolina, P.R.

A federal grand jury indicted McGlone on October 12, 2023, with three counts for coercion and enticement of a minor, receipt of child exploitation material, and transfer of obscene material to a minor. This is an investigation led by the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force (PRCACTF) in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Police Bureau.

According to court documents, between September 11, 2023, and October 5, 2023, McGlone used a cellular phone and an internet instant messaging platform to coerce a fourteen-year-old male minor to engage in sexual activity. During the same period, McGlone knowingly attempted to receive child exploitation material and transferred obscene material to the fourteen-year-old male minor.  

McGlone also had multiple arrest warrants from the state of Georgia related to several charges including criminal attempt of child molestation.

“We will continue to track down those who engage in child exploitation and will hold them accountable for their criminal conduct,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue its effort to protect the most vulnerable among us by aggressively prosecuting all those who prey on our children.”

Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos stated: “The defendant is a wanted person in the state of Georgia for similar charges. HSI has zero tolerance for those who repeatedly engage in criminal behavior against children. In this case, thanks to the collaboration of parents, teachers, and social workers, our agents were able to identify suspicious child exploitation activities against a fourteen-year-old minor. As we have stated, the first line of defense to protect children is those who interact with them daily. HSI agents responded rapidly, and we successfully arrested the suspect to bring him before justice.”

Special Assistant United States Attorney Nadia Y. Pineda-Pérez of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor; a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to 20 years for receipt of child exploitation material; and up to 10 years in prison for the transfer of obscene material to a minor. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardians; and to denounce suspicious activities call 787-729-6969.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

About Homeland Security Investigations

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.

# HSI #

The U.S. Attorney’s Office celebrates a comprehensive federal grant funds package awarded to the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, the Puerto Rico Forensic Science Institute, and to Community Response to Gender-Based Violence Stakeholders in excess of $28.8 million.  

“The Puerto Rico U.S. Attorney’s Office works closely with our state law enforcement partners and community response stakeholders to effectively investigate and prosecute crimes and provide justice and protection to our victims of crime.  Identifying available federal funding and ensuring that these funds are properly and efficiently expended enhances our collaborative law enforcement efforts,” said United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. 

These recent funding allocations from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP) are intended to build community capacity to curb violence, serve victims and youth, and achieve fair outcomes through evidence-based criminal and juvenile justice strategies.

Among the most significant awards, the Puerto Rico Department of Justice received $12.6 million for the VOCA Victim Assistance Formula Grant to enhance victim services in Puerto Rico. Additionally, the Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded $700,000 to institute a Local Law Enforcement Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) through the Puerto Rico Forensic Science Institute.  That initiative also provides funding for the hiring of a Special Prosecutor, primarily in charge of firearms prosecutions arising from intelligence gathered from the CGIC. Other significant awards are listed below:

Date

Grant

Recipient

Amount

9/28/23

OJJDP FY 2023 Title II Formula Grants Program

Oficina para el Desarrollo Socioeconómico y Comunitario

             $590,509

9/28/23

BJA FY 23 John R. Justice (JRJ) Formula Grant Program

PR Department of Justice

$ 89,310

9/26/23

BJA FY 2023 Invited to Apply- Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Reallocation Funds Program

PR Department of Justice

$136,058

9/26/23

OJJDP Combined FY 2021 and FY 2022 Invited to Apply – Prison Rape Elimination Act Reallocation Funds

Oficina para el Desarrollo Socioeconómico y Comunitario

$ 27,761

9/25/23

BJA FY 23 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program - Formula

Instituto de Ciencias Forenses

$312,708

9/25/23

BJA FY 23 Project Safe Neighborhoods Formula Grant Program

PR Department of Housing

$133,930

9/25/23

OJJDP FY 2023 Strategies to Support Children Exposed to Violence

Boys & Girls Club of Puerto Rico

 $972,405

9/22/23

BJA FY 23 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program - State Solicitation

PR Department of Justice

$2,313,909

9/18/23

BJA FY 23 Invited to Apply Sex Offender and Registration Notification Act (SORNA) Reallocation Program

PR Department of Justice

$272,117

9/8/23

BJA FY 23 Local Law Enforcement Crime Gun Intelligence Center Integration Initiative

Instituto de Ciencias Forenses

$700,000

9/8/23

Formula DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR)

Instituto de Ciencias Forenses

$675,188

8/23/23

VOCA Victim Assistance Formula Grant

PR Department of Justice

$12,669,225

8/23/23

VOCA Victim Compensation Formula Grant

PR Department of Justice

$309,000

8/10/23

Invited to Apply- Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program

Municipality of Loíza

$279,000

8/10/23

Invited to Apply- Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program

Municipality of Vieques

$420,000

8/10/23

Invited to Apply- Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program

Municipality of Ciales

$ 92,000

2/13/23

BJA FY 2022-2023 Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program Formula Solicitation

PR Department of Justice

$2,274,664

More information about the awards announced can be found by visiting www.ojp.gov/funding/fy23awards.

In order to provide support to victims of crime, the Justice Department announced nearly $193 million in formula and discretionary grant awards to support crucial services and justice responses for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including $6,496,287 for the District of Puerto Rico to support community responses to gender-based violence. Among those grants are the following:

Date

Grant

Recipient

Amount

9/27/23

OVW Fiscal Year 2023 Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Solicitation

Proyecto Matria, Inc.

$550,000

9/22/23

OVW Fiscal Year 2023 Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking - Solicitation

Taller Salud, Inc.

$450,000

9/22/23

OVW Fiscal Year 2023 Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking - Solicitation

Hogar Ruth, Inc.

$575,000

9/22/23

OVW Fiscal Year 2023 Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking - Solicitation

Casa Juana Colón, Apoyo y Orientación a la Mujer, Inc.

$400,000

9/22/23

OVW Fiscal Year 2023 Sexual Assault Services

Hogar Ruth, Inc.

$495,000

9/8/23

OVW Fiscal Year 2023 Legal Assistance for Victims - Solicitation

Taller Salud, Inc.

$750,000

8/22/23

OVW Fiscal Year 2023 Sexual Assault Services and Formula Program - Solicitation

Women’s Advocate Office

$858,652

OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through implementing VAWA and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities nationwide that are developing programs, policies, and practices to end domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On October 6, 2023, Special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested Pedro Juan Molina-Falconi, a 34-year-old security guard from a school in Manatí, P.R.

A federal grand jury indicted Molina-Falconi on October 5, 2023, with three-counts for coercion and enticement of a minor, receipt of child exploitation material, and transfer of obscene material to a minor. This HSI-led investigation was conducted in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) and the Puerto Rico Department of Education (PRDE).

According to court documents, between June and August 2023, Molina-Falconi used a cellular phone and an internet instant messaging platform to coerce a fifteen-year-old female minor to engage in sexual activity. During the same period the security guard, knowingly received child exploitation material and transferred obscene material to the fifteen-year-old female minor.   

“These types of crimes cause immeasurable harm to both the child victims and their families,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We will continue to work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to identify, prosecute, and hold accountable those who exploit our children.”

Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos stated: “The defendant in this case was a security guard of a school in Manatí, holding a position of public trust. He used his position of trust to take advantage of a minor within the safe space of our schools. HSI prioritizes the safety and well-being of our children, working together with the PRPB and the PRDE, to create a secure learning environment, we will not tolerate predators’ presence in our schools.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Emelina Agrait-Barreto of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor; a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to 20 years for receipt of child exploitation material; and up to 10 years in prison for the transfer of obscene material to a minor. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. After his initial appearance in court, the defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals.

For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardiansArr; and to denounce suspicious activities call 787-729-6969.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On September 22, 2023, Antonio Casillas Montero, the owner of Stone City Kennels, was sentenced to seven years in prison for conspiring to violate the Animal Welfare Act and for possession of dogs for use in animal fighting ventures, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. 

According to the facts stipulated by the parties, for over 35 years, Casillas ran Stone City Kennels, which participated in over 150 dog fights. Casillas bred pit-bull type dogs for fights in Puerto Rico, México, Ecuador, Perú, the Dominican Republic, and various cities in the continental United States.  During a search of his property in Humacao, several pit-bull type dogs were seized which suffered from pustules, fungus, lameness, and jaw clamping.

In its sentencing memorandum (see PDF attached), the Government argued that “Casillas’s conduct is on the extreme end of the spectrum of cruelty in an already cruel form of abuse.”  According to the evidence presented by the Government, Casillas would use veterinarians in Puerto Rico to obtain health certificates to send fighting dogs to the Dominican Republic on a ferry, where the dogs would be trained in the weeks before matches.  During the fights, which could last for over 1.5 hours, Casillas would let losing dogs perish from their injuries, rather than removing them from a fight.  During the sentencing hearing, the Government presented a video of one of Casillas’ dogs dying after a match in the Dominican Republic while being insulted for its defeat. 

In addition to fighting numerous dogs, Casillas organized large, international matches.  He and his partners would breed fighting dogs for sale for thousands of dollars and ship them on airplanes from Puerto Rico around the world.  The Government presented evidence of inquiries from potential customers in South America and Europe regarding Stone City Kennels’ dogs.  Casillas would also mentor dog fighters on training techniques with steroids.  Evidence presented by the Government indicated that Casillas was considered a “Caribbean legend” of dogfighting.

“Dogfighting for entertainment and profit is not only cruel and inhumane, but also a violation of federal law,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. “This sentencing ends the defendant’s decades-long involvement in this illegal business and hopefully will deter others.”

“The United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General-Investigations, actively investigates allegations of animal abuse.  This agency has made animal fighting a high priority in order to demonstrate that these blatant acts of cruelty to animals will no longer be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Miles Davis.  “We would like to thank the United States Attorney’s Office for aggressively prosecuting perpetrators of animal fighting, our federal law enforcement partners, and United States Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Investigative Enforcement Services for their dedicated work in this investigation.”

HSI San Juan Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos said, “This sentencing is a strong message of a firm stance against animal cruelty; we must work together to create more humane and compassionate societies. This sentencing of this individual who profited from the illegal and cruel practice of dog fighting does exactly that: hold those who profit from animal cruelty accountable.”

The United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and the Department of Homeland Security investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Gottfried of the Violent Crimes Section prosecuted the case.

If you have information regarding dog fights or animal cruelty, please call PRPB Office of the Coordinator of Law 154 at (787)793-1234, extensions 3128 and 3131.

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WASHINGTON – Two Puerto Rican men pleaded guilty today to federal charges of conspiracy to commit a hate crime and obstruction of justice, arising out of an assault with a dangerous weapon against a transgender woman because of her gender identity.

According to court documents, on Feb. 24, 2020, at around 12:29 a.m. ET, Jordany Rafael Laboy-Garcia and Christian Yamaurie Rivera-Otero, along with their former co-defendant Anthony Steven Lobos-Ruiz, were out driving together in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, when they saw the victim, identified as A.N.L., standing under a tent near the side of the road. The defendants recognized A.N.L. from social media posts concerning an incident that had occurred the day prior at a McDonald’s in Toa Baja. During that incident, A.N.L. had used a stall in the McDonald’s women’s restroom.

Upon recognizing A.N.L., Lobos-Ruiz used his iPhone to record a video of himself yelling, “la loca, la loca,” as well as other disparaging and threatening comments to A.N.L. from inside the car. The defendants then decided to get a paintball gun to shoot A.N.L. and record another iPhone video. Within 30 minutes, they retrieved a paintball gun and returned to the location where they had last seen A.N.L., who was still at that location. Lobos-Ruiz then used his iPhone to record Laboy-Garcia shooting at A.N.L. multiple times with the paintball gun. After the assault ended, Lobos Ruiz shared the iPhone video recordings with others.

Several hours later, Rivera-Otero and Lobos-Ruiz exchanged text messages, in which they told each other to delete the evidence of their harassment and paintball gun assault of A.N.L., in order to conceal their involvement. Following this message exchange, Lobos-Ruiz deleted the videos on his iPhone of himself yelling at A.N.L. and of Laboy-Garcia firing paintballs at A.N.L.

“The defendants are being held accountable for assaulting a transgender woman because of her gender identity and then trying to obstruct an investigation into that assault,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Acts of violence against LGBTQI+ people have no place in our society today. As we mark 25 years since the death of Matthew Shepard, the Justice Department remain steadfast in its commitment to investigate and prosecute those who target LGBTQI+ people with acts of violence.”

“To assault an innocent victim who posed no threat to the defendants for no other reason than her gender identity is reprehensible behavior that will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously defend the rights of all people, regardless of their gender identity, to be free from hate-fueled violence. Our community must stand together against acts of violence motivated by hate for any group of people – we remain steadfast in our commitment to prosecute civil rights violations and keep our communities safe and free from fear.”

“What makes our country great is our diversity in all aspects of life,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “This diversity makes us strong, and criminal acts undermine our society's foundations. The FBI will not tolerate hateful criminal activity of any kind and will pursue these cases to the full extent of the law. We urge anyone who thinks they have been a victim or a witness to a hate crime to call 787-987-6500 or leave a tip by visiting Tips.FBI.Gov. Know that we are here for you."

As part of the plea agreement, Laboy-Garcia pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit a hate crime and admitted that he shot paintballs at A.N.L. because she was, and was perceived to be, transgender. Rivera-Otero pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and admitted to directing his co-defendant to delete video recordings of the assault and harassment of A.N.L.

A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Lobos-Ruiz previously pleaded guilty to committing a hate crime and was sentenced to 33 months in prison.  

The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Contreras for the District of Puerto Rico and Trial Attorney Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
 

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On September 20, 2023, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging 42 violent gang members from the municipality of Manatí with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, possession and distribution of controlled substances, and firearms violations, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. This investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), Arecibo Strike Force, with the collaboration of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the U.S.  Marshals Service. The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), CBP Air and Marine Operations, and the Barceloneta Police Department collaborated during the arrests.

“By arresting and prosecuting these defendants, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners are working to uphold the rule of law and punish violent offenders who terrorize our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “The Department of Justice is committed to dismantling criminal organizations, holding gang members accountable, and pursuing justice for victims.”

“For the last year, the residents in the Manatí area have been victims of violent crimes, going to bed and waking up to the sound of gunshots, tonight they will be able to rest,” said Rebecca González Ramos, Special Agent in Charge of HSI. “This organization is extremely violent; therefore this takedown included the activation of a total of 12 tactical teams and over 200 law enforcement officers from HSI San Juan and the U.S. Mainland along with federal, state, and local partners. This is a clear example of a multiagency collaboration; we were able to dismantle the new generation of a very violent drug trafficking organization that has been stealing the peace of these communities. Not anymore, HSI remains focused, determined, and steadfast to assure Puerto Rico’s public safety.”

The indictment alleges that from 2016, the drug trafficking organization called “Hasta los Marcian” (HLM) distributed heroin, fentanyl, cocaine base (commonly known as “crack”), cocaine, marihuana, Tramadol, and Clonazepam within 1,000 feet of the Enrique Zorrilla, Villa Evangelina, Vivamery, and Los Murales Public Housing Projects (PHPs), the Cerro Gandía Ward and the Morovis cemetery, all for significant financial gain and profit.

The goal of HLM was to maintain control of all the drug trafficking activities within the Manatí area by the use of force, threats, violence and intimidation. In preserving power and protecting territory, the members of HLM profited from the illegal distribution of narcotics including transportation and distribution of kilogram quantities of cocaine into the continental United States.

The investigation revealed that during the conspiracy the defendants and their co-conspirators participated in murders and shootings to further their drug trafficking operations. The defendants and their co-conspirators would sometimes use bullet proof vests to protect themselves when they participated in acts of violence. They modified firearms in order to convert them to automatic weapons (machineguns). On occasions, the co-conspirators legally purchased firearms and then sold them to members of the drug trafficking organization. Also, defendants and their co-conspirators would mail pieces of firearms or entire firearms from the continental United States to other members of the drug trafficking organization in Manatí.

The defendants acted in different roles to further the goals of the drug trafficking conspiracy, to wit: leaders, suppliers, drug point owners, enforcers, runners, sellers, lookouts, and facilitators. The members of the gang used force, violence, and intimidation to maintain control of the areas in which they operated. The defendants charged in the indictment are:

[1] Fabián López-Pino, a.k.a. “Fabi/Gordo/Panda”

[2] Michael Ángelo Reyes-Vázquez, a.k.a. “Chucky/Choky”

[3] Joshua Siragusa-Romero, a.k.a. “Tres Dobles”

[4] Alejandro Sáenz-Escobar, a.k.a. “Fresa/Fresita/Andito”

[5] Christopher Alberto Centeno-Marrero, a.k.a. “Chupy/Chupa Compras”

[6] Victor Cardoza, a.k.a. “Vitoy”

[7] Francisco Efrén Marín-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Frank/F/El Viejo”

[8] Cesar Tyron Villegas–Cintrón

[9] Daniel Morla-Reyes, a.k.a. “Bebe/Bebe Murales/El Domi”

[10] Christopher Maldonado-López, a.k.a. “Gordo Flow”

[11] Christian Maldonado-López, a.k.a. “Ninja”

[12] José Israel Rivera-Morán, a.k.a. “Isratek/Isra”

[13] Christopher Pagán-Moux, a.k.a. “Zion”

[14] Carlos Jadriel Rivera-León, a.k.a. “Hulk/Carlitos Hulk”

[15] Jacier Collazo-Cruz

[16] Kenneth Noel Padilla-Martínez, a.k.a. “Dement/Demente”

[17] Jairo Luis Sánchez-Romero, a.k.a. “Grillo”

[18] Jonathan Yadriel Negrón-Quintero, a.k.a. “Wiwi”

[19] Adán David López-Quintero, a.k.a. “Chaco”

[20] Jadriel Yandel Bruno-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Cuty”

[21] José Rafael Domínguez-Rivera, a.k.a. “Ojos Bellos”

[22] Bryan Joel Nieves-Romero, a.k.a. “Cabulla/Cabuya”

[23] Kelvin Joel Rivas-Quiñonez, a.k.a. “Piki/Rubio”

[24] Kenneth Córdova-Real, a.k.a. “Pope/Menor”

[25] Norma Iris Cintrón-Pino, a.k.a. “Normita”

[26] Ángel Javier Marrero-González, a.k.a. “Chacorta/Chacolta/Titi”

[27] William Omar Nieves-Maisonet, a.k.a. “Tito Llorón”

[28] Kevin Renier Marrero-Ocasio, a.k.a. “Coraje”

[29] Edsel Rodríguez-Ramírez, a.k.a. “La R/El Gordo/El Goldo”

[30] Miguel Ángel Ayala-De León, a.k.a. “Tonka”

[31] Jorge Luis Santiago-Robles, a.k.a. “El Mono/El Mono De Cerro Gandía”

[32] Jeremy Nael Rodríguez-Ortega, a.k.a. “Jordan”

[33] Shaquille Emmanuel Rivera-De Jesús

[34] Jonathan Montano-Menéndez, a.k.a. “Ata”

[35] Kelvin Luis Núñez-Otero, a.k.a. “Colilla”

[36] Manuel Ángel Jr. Torres-Pérez, a.k.a. “Manolo”

[37] María De Los Ángeles Candelario-Rosa, a.k.a. “María Pasillo”

[38] Victor David Santos-Medina, a.k.a. “Davisito”

[39] Richard Vázquez-Aponte, a.k.a. “BTA”

[40] Jorge Luis Rivera-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “El Mono/El Mono De Zorrillas”

[41] Isaías Daniel Lugo-Nazario, a.k.a. “Panda”

[42] John Anthony Sánchez-Valentín, a.k.a. “Joshua Pauta/Pauta”

Thirty-Three (33) defendants are facing one charge of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and fifteen (15) of those defendants are facing one count of possession of a machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Gang Section Alberto López-Rocafort; Deputy Chief of the Gang Section, AUSA Teresa Zapata-Valladares; AUSAs Corinne Cordero-Romo and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted on the drug charges, the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life in prison. If convicted of both the drug and firearms charges in Count Six, the defendants face a minimum sentence of 15 years, and up to life in prison. The defendants charged in Count Seven with possession of machineguns in furtherance of drug trafficking face a mandatory sentence of thirty years in prison to be served consecutive to any sentence imposed on the drug trafficking charges. All defendants are facing a narcotics forfeiture allegation of $31,347,400.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force (PRCACTF), along with the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) arrested Bryan Xavier Pérez Hernández, 26, from San Sebastián, PR, and Melanie Cruz Clivilles, 31, from Aguadilla, PR, for charges related to the death of 13-year-old female minor G.L.C.C.

According to court documents, Bryan Xavier Pérez Hernández attempted to induce, entice, and coerce a minor, that is, a 13-year-old female G.L.C.C., to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child exploitation material. Pérez Hernández is also charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and distribution of cocaine to a minor.

Melanie Cruz Clivilles, mother of G.L.C.C., is charged with lying to a federal law enforcement agent. The allegations are that Cruz Clivilles made a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement and representation by falsely stating to a Task Force Officer of the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations that she first met Bryan Xavier Pérez Hernández at the hospital on August 4, 2023, where he arrived with defendant’s deceased daughter G.L.C.C.  The statement and representation was false because, as she then and there knew, because she had met Pérez Hernández at the latest in July of 2023, and had been with him during a meeting on August 3, 2023.

If convicted, Pérez Hernández faces a statutory minimum sentence of between15 and 30 years in prison for production of child pornography; and up to 40 years in prison for the drug trafficking charges. Defendant Cruz Clivilles is facing up to five years in prison for making false statements. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Rebecca González-Ramos, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.

Homeland Security Investigations and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenifer Hernández Vega, Chief of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case. The investigation continues.

For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardians; and to denounce suspicious activities call 787-729-6969.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – In two separate cases, Federal Bureau of Investigations special agents, with the support of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, arrested two men charged with child exploitation.

According to court documents, from June 2022 through June 2023, Rafael A. Pérez Rodríguez, 19, from Ponce, PR knowingly transported child exploitation material in his cellular phone; distributed and received child pornography; and possessed images of child pornography, including pictures of prepubescent minors, or minors who had not attained 12 years of age. Assistant United States Attorney Emelina M. Agrait Barreto, from the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit, is prosecuting this case.

In an unrelated case, FBI arrested Emiliano Echevarría Collado, 41, from Ponce, PR, for attempted production and attempted possession of child pornography. From October 1st through October 2, 2021, Echevarría Collado attempted to employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a 15-year-old female minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez-Lora of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case.

“Soliciting the production of child sexual abuse material is a particularly disturbing crime,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The arrests that we announced today reflect the unwavering commitment of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners to stand up for victims and to hold offenders accountable for their conduct.”

“Children are not only the most vulnerable members of society but also its future,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “Criminals who target children are a threat to the very fabric of strong and functional communities. This is why the FBI is committed to continuing our work of putting these violent sex offenders behind bars and we urge the public to report these heinous crimes by calling 787-987-6500 or leaving a tip online visiting tips.FBI.gov”.

If convicted, Rafael A. Pérez Rodríguez faces a minimum sentence of 10 years up to 20 years in prison. Emiliano Echevarría Collado faces a statutory minimum sentence of 15 years up to 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI San Juan Field Office is investigating the cases.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force (PRCACTF), along with the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) arrested Daryana González Montañez, a 30-year-old woman from Cataño, PR, for sex trafficking of children, production on child pornography, and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

According to court documents, from February through March 28, 2023, Daryana González Montañez, recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, obtained, advertised, maintained, and patronized a 14-year-old minor female to engage in sexual activity for profit. González Montañez also employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced the same minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing and transmitting child pornography.

“Human trafficking – particularly trafficking of children – is a reprehensible crime with far reaching consequences,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.  “The United States Attorney’s Office and law enforcement agencies will continue to take full advantage of our investigative tools and prosecution powers in order to protect our children from sexual predators. We want to remind the public to report all inappropriate behavior with children to their local authorities and together, local and federal law enforcement will see that justice is carried out.”

Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos stated: “We have been following the pattern of this woman for a few months now. We have implemented our Victim Centered Approach; forensic interviews were performed, and data was gathered from digital equipment. All these efforts resulted in good evidence for a strong case of human trafficking in Puerto Rico. The victim and her family have the support they need to face this horrendous experience; and our special agents will continue this process until justice is served. We will continue to support and work with all our fellow law enforcement partners to get dangerous offenders off the streets. There will be zero tolerance for those who intend to harm our children.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez-Lora of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case. If convicted, the defendant faces a statutory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in prison for sex trafficking of children; 15 up to 30 years in prison for production of child pornography; and 10 years up to life in prison for transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The defendant was transferred to the Guaynabo Metropolitan Detention Center to await further judicial proceedings.

For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardians; and to denounce suspicious activities call 787-729-6969.

 

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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About Homeland Security Investigations

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.

  

# HSI #

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On August 25, 2023 federal and local authorities worked in conjunction with a local conservation group to rescue an adult hawksbill sea turtle in Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico and return it safely to its habitat, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, and Stephen Clark, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Agents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) were alerted that an individual had taken a hawksbill sea turtle away from the Singapur Community beach in Juana Díaz during the evening of August 24, 2023. The turtle was allegedly transported utilizing a wheelbarrow. After responding to the scene, FWS agents successfully identified the individual involved, the location of the individual’s home, and confirmed that the turtle was still alive. (See photograph below)

In conjunction with the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) and personnel from Tortugueros del Sur, the FWS agents successfully returned the hawksbill sea turtle to its nearby habitat. (See photographs below)

The primary responsibility of the FWS is to manage fish and wildlife resources in the public trust for the people today and future generations. With that goal, the FWS works to protect species from extinction, restore habitats, foster biological diversity, and enforce United States conversation laws, such as the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Fish and Wildlife Service is an active member of the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Environmental Crimes Task Force and routinely works in conjunction with local authorities, including the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, and local conservation groups to respond when protected species are reported as being taken, harmed, possessed, or sold.

The hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a critically endangered sea turtle that inhabits tropical and sub-tropical waters, including those surrounding Puerto Rico. The name comes from their beak-like mouth, which resembles a hawk and is used to find food in hard-to-reach cracks and crevices. Adult hawksbill sea turtles can be 2-3.5 feet long and can weigh 100-150 pounds. Their lifespan is estimated to be 50 years or more. Every 1 to 5 years, the female hawksbill will lay three to five nests containing 130 to 160 eggs. They typically nest at night on small or isolated beaches. Hatchlings orient seaward by moving away from dark landward dunes toward the brighter ocean horizon. Hawksbill sea turtles face threats from fishing gear, direct harvest of turtles and eggs, loss and degradation of nesting habitats, predation of eggs and hatchlings, vessel strikes, ocean pollution, and climate change.  

The hawksbill sea turtle is recognized as an endangered species by the United States government, meaning that it is illegal to take, possess, sell, deliver, carry, or transport pursuant to the ESA, specifically Title 16, United States Code, Section 1538. The Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) also forbids the trade of any turtle products on the international market, including sea tortoise shells (which are sometimes sold as “tortoiseshell”).

You can help hawksbill sea turtles and other endangered species by reducing ocean trash, keeping your distance, protecting sea turtle habitats and nesting sites, and reporting marine life in distress. To report marine life in danger or distress, please contact the Puerto Rico office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (787) 749-4338 or the national tip line by telephone at 1-844-FWS-TIPS, by email at [email protected] , or via www.fws.gov/wildlife-crime-tips .

Special thanks are provided to Tortugueros del Sur, a non-profit Puerto Rico entity whose mission is to help sick or injured sea turtles, to aid in conservation programs in the south of Puerto Rico, and to educate the public about sea turtles.  

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On August 24, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a forty-count indictment charging Ángel Mercado-Aquino, Ferdinand Escobar-Castillo, Ismael Reyes-Rivas and Andro Bianchi-Montalvo with a series of armed carjackings and robberies of businesses, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.

According to the Government’s allegations, between January 31 and March 6, 2023, the four defendants (acting together or as part of a smaller group) committed a series of armed robberies in Río Piedras, Río Grande, Guaynabo, Caguas, Canóvanas, Puerto Nuevo, Toa Baja, and Bayamón, Puerto Rico.  The businesses that were targeted included Burger King and Shell gas stations.  Most of the carjackings occurred early in the morning at gas stations, including a Gulf Gas Station in Río Grande, a Mobil Gas Station in Guaynabo, the Any Time Gas Río Cañas in Caguas, the Total Energies Gas Station in Canóvanas, and a Gulf Gas Station located at La Virgencita, Toa Baja.

“Violent criminal street gangs are a constant threat to our communities. These arrests will not only make our neighborhoods safer but send a message to other gang members that the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue efforts to disrupt and dismantle organized crime groups such as these,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow.

Christopher A. Robinson, Special Agent in Charge of the Miami Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, commented: “This investigation is a testament to the commitment of the ATF San Juan Field Office in the fight against armed criminals who terrorize our communities with the plague of violent crime.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Julian Radzinschi of the Violent Crimes Section is in charge of the prosecution of the case.  Special Agent Ivys Rosado-Díaz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is in charge of the investigation.  If convicted on all counts, the defendants face over 100 years in prison.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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WASHINGTON – The former mayor of the municipality of Humacao, Puerto Rico, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison for his involvement in a bribery scheme in which he received cash payments for awarding municipal contracts to two companies.

According to court documents, from 2021 until 2022, Reinaldo Vargas-Rodríguez, 49, was the mayor and highest-ranking government official in the municipality of Humacao. Starting in 2021, Vargas-Rodríguez was involved in a bribery conspiracy in which he received and accepted cash payments from two businessmen in exchange for awarding municipal contracts for waste disposal services, asphalt and paving services, and debris removal, and paying outstanding invoices on the contracts. Vargas-Rodríguez received at least $27,000 in cash bribes from January 2021 through July 2021 from the two businessmen.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph González of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement. 

The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico prosecuted the case. Trial Attorney Ryan R. Crosswell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott H. Anderson for the District of Puerto Rico assisted in the investigation.  

This case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the District of Puerto Rico for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts.

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The former mayor of the municipality of Humacao, Puerto Rico, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison for his involvement in a bribery scheme in which he received cash payments for awarding municipal contracts to two companies.

According to court documents, from 2021 until 2022, Reinaldo Vargas-Rodriguez, 49, was the mayor and highest-ranking government official in the municipality of Humacao. Starting in 2021, Vargas-Rodriguez was involved in a bribery conspiracy in which he received and accepted cash payments from two businessmen in exchange for awarding municipal contracts for waste disposal services, asphalt and paving services, and debris removal, and paying outstanding invoices on the contracts. Vargas-Rodriguez received at least $27,000 in cash bribes from January 2021 through July 2021 from the two businessmen.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement. 

The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Erbefor the District of Puerto Rico prosecuted the case. Trial Attorney Ryan R. Crosswell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott H. Anderson for the District of Puerto Rico assisted in the investigation.  

This case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the District of Puerto Rico for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Former police officer William Cintrón-Rivera, a.k.a. “El Kid/Kid” was sentenced to eight years in prison for the theft of 54 guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition from the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), Guayama headquarters on July 17, 2019. The defendant was  ordered to forfeit his position as a PRPB officer and ordered to pay $48,624 in restitution to the PRPB. 

On January 20, 2021, a federal grand jury charged the defendant with multiple counts of firearms violations and tampering with three witnesses and he pleaded guilty in April of 2023.

According to court documents, on July 17, 2019, in the District of Puerto Rico, defendant Cintrón-Rivera stole 54 firearms from the PRPB, Guayama headquarters. At the time of the theft, defendant Cintrón-Rivera was a police officer in the PRPB. In addition, the defendant was charged with the possession of six of the stolen firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

The investigation revealed that Cintrón-Rivera attempted to intimidate and corruptly persuade two individuals to provide false information to federal investigators relevant to the theft, such as Cintrón-Rivera’s whereabouts on the night of the crime. Cintrón-Rivera also attempted to intimidate and corruptly persuade a female to provide false information o federal investigators regarding: (a) the nature and duration of their relationship; (b) Cintrón-Rivera’s whereabouts during the timeframe of the theft; (c) the identity of an alleged informant; and (d) communications involving Cintrón-Rivera and her, including payment for an alleged cell phone. 

Anyone with any information regarding any of the missing PRPB firearms is encouraged to contact the ATF at 1-800-ATF-GUNS. 

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Christopher Robinson, Special Agent in Charge for ATF, made the announcement.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis A. Valentin was in charge of the prosecution of the case.

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WASHINGTON – A former media producer was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison for extortion and obstruction of justice related to his involvement in a scheme to obtain money in exchange for preventing the release of chat messages involving senior officials in the government of Puerto Rico.

According to court documents, in June 2019, Sixto Jorge Díaz Colón, 54, of San Juan, attempted to extort a public official in the government of Puerto Rico. Díaz Colón attempted to secure a $300,000 payment and other things of value from the official in exchange for the assurance that a third-party would not publicly disclose certain messages containing damaging information about various public officials in the government. When approached by the FBI in July 2019, Díaz Colón deleted messages containing information about his involvement in the scheme before surrendering his cellular telephone to the authorities.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Michael N. Lang of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Myriam Fernández-González for the District of Puerto Rico prosecuted the case. Former PIN Trial Attorney James Pearce, former Trial Attorney Byron Jones of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Henwood for the District of Puerto Rico provided assistance.

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A former media producer was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison for extortion and obstruction of justice related to his involvement in a scheme to obtain money in exchange for preventing the release of chat messages involving senior officials in the government of Puerto Rico.

According to court documents, in June 2019, Sixto Jorge Díaz Colón, 54, of San Juan, attempted to extort a public official in the government of Puerto Rico. Díaz Colón attempted to secure a $300,000 payment and other things of value from the official in exchange for the assurance that a third-party would not publicly disclose certain messages containing damaging information about various public officials in the government. When approached by the FBI in July 2019, Díaz Colón deleted messages containing information about his involvement in the scheme before surrendering his cellular telephone to the authorities.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Michael N. Lang of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Myriam Fernández-González for the District of Puerto Rico prosecuted the case. Former PIN Trial Attorney James Pearce, former Trial Attorney Byron Jones of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Henwood for the District of Puerto Rico provided assistance.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal jury convicted Félix Verdejo-Sánchez today for federal crimes that arise from the murder of Keishla Rodríguez Ortiz on April 29, 2021.

The jury determined, according to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Félix Verdejo-Sánchez, along with his co-defendant Luis Antonio Cádiz-Martínez, aiding and abetting each other, committed a kidnapping that resulted in the death of Keishla M. Rodríguez Ortiz and her unborn child.

On the morning of April 29, 2021, Félix Verdejo-Sánchez executed a premeditated plan to murder Keishla Rodríguez Ortiz and her unborn child by luring Ms. Rodríguez Ortiz into his Dodge Durango where, with the assistance of Luis Cádiz Martínez, Verdejo punched Ms. Rodríguez Ortiz, injected her with drugs and then tied her with metal wire to a cement block. Mr. Verdejo Sánchez then drove the victim to the Teodoro Moscoso bridge, and, with Cadiz’s assistance, threw Ms. Rodríguez Ortiz into the San José Lagoon. He later jumped into the lagoon in order to finish murdering both victims.

“We stand firmly with the family of Keishla Rodríguez Ortiz and all those in the community who sought justice for this senseless, cruel, and heinous act of premeditated and cold-blooded violence against Keishla and her unborn child,” said United States Attorney Muldrow. “I also commend the hard work, dedication, and relentless pursuit of justice by federal and local law enforcement, including the FBI, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, the Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety, the Puerto Rico Forensic Science Institute, and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, as well as the prosecutors and professional staff in the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

“There are damages which cannot ever be repaired, not even by a just verdict,” said FBI San Juan Special Agent in Charge, Joseph González. “In cases such as these, all we can do is give our all in the pursuit of justice. Today, I can say that my team did exactly that, and I am proud of their dedication. I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the amazing work and the jury for their service. We did what we do and justice was served.”

Defendant Verdejo-Sánchez faces a mandatory life sentence for each conviction under 18 USC Sections 1201(a)(1) and 1841, respectively. The sentencing was scheduled for November 3, 2023 at 2:00 pm.

The FBI was in charge of the investigation with the close collaboration and support of the Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice.

Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Gottfried, Chief of the Violent Crimes and National Security Section at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeanette Collazo prosecuted the case.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal jury convicted Alexis Candelario Santana today for: violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, 8 murders, the murder of an unborn child, 19 attempted murders, drug trafficking, and being a felon in possession. United States District Court Senior Judge Francisco A. Besosa presided over the retrial that commenced on June 20, 2023.

Alexis Candelario Santana, 51, faces life in prison following his conviction of murdering eight people and an unborn child and attempting to murder 19 others during a mass shooting that occurred at a Puerto Rico on Oct. 17, 2009, in what became known as the “La Tómbola Massacre.”

Candelario Santana was convicted of 28 counts of violent crime in aid of racketeering activity, one count of racketeering conspiracy, nine counts of using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession of a firearm with a prior conviction.

According to the evidence presented at trial, from approximately 1993 through 2003, Candelario Santana was the leader of a drug trafficking organization that operated in the Sabana Seca ward of Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. The organization purchased drugs in bulk, processed and packaged the drugs, and sold them in Sabana Seca through numerous sellers, runners, and enforcers under Candelario Santana’s direction and control. The organization trafficked in crack, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. The members of the organization routinely possessed firearms to protect their drug points. The evidence introduced at trial also established that, between 1995 and 2001, Candelario Santana either personally killed, or ordered others to kill, 13 individuals whom he viewed as threats or as disloyal members of his drug trafficking organization.

Around 2002, Candelario Santana was arrested and charged in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico with numerous murders. Initially, Candelario Santana maintained control of the drug trafficking organization from prison with assistance from co-defendant Carmelo Rondón Feliciano, who had taken charge of the drug trafficking organization’s activities. Sometime in 2004 Candelario Santana was marginalized by co‑conspirators Wilfredo Semprit Santana and Rondón Feliciano. On September 25, 2006, however, Rondón Feliciano was arrested and charged in the District of Puerto Rico with federal drug trafficking crimes. These charges stemmed, in part, from Rondón Feliciano’s distribution of narcotics in Sabana Seca. After Rondón Feliciano’s arrest, co‑conspirator Semprit Santana assumed control of the drug trafficking organization in Sabana Seca. According to evidence presented at the second trial, Candelario Santana became infuriated at being removed from power within the drug trafficking organization.

Candelario Santana was released from prison in February 2009. Thereafter, on October 17, 2009, Semprit Santana held a grand opening of a pub he rented in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico called La Tómbola. The event was heavily attended, with people congregating inside and outside the establishment. At approximately 11:50 p.m., Candelario Santana and others, drove to La Tómbola. When they arrived, they immediately opened fire on the patrons outside the establishment. Candelario Santana and others also entered the pub and opened fire on the people inside. 

Eight people and an 8-month unborn child were killed because of the gunfire. 19 other victims were also shot and injured. Those killed included Candelario Santana’s godson, Rondón Feliciano’s stepson and Candelario Santana’s cousin. The evidence presented at trial included 335 expended shell-casings recovered from the La Tómbola crime scene. The ballistics evidence established that 17 different firearms were used during the massacre, which included the following calibers: 9 mm, .40, 45, AK-47, and AR-15.

Candelario Santana is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27, 2023.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office, made the announcement.

The case was investigated by FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, with the collaboration of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Instituto de Ciencias Forenses; and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Víctor Acevedo-Hernández and Scott Anderson prosecuted the case.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, announced the indictment of 27 individuals for their participation in a scheme to illegally obtain federal recovery funds under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The Grand Jury charged the defendants with multiple counts of wire fraud and money laundering. The charging documents allege that from April 2020 through July 2023, the defendants and their co-conspirators caused the submission of at least 23 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications seeking the illegal disbursement of at least $458,923 in federal recovery funds from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Bank 1.

“This is the third round of defendants charged since April 2023 relating to this fraud scheme, and the investigation remains ongoing,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “The EIDL and PPP loans were supposed to benefit those whose legitimate businesses were suffering from losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prosecution of those who illegally obtain government benefits will continue to be a priority for our office.”

The United States Secret Service, the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Treasury Department, the Puerto Rico Bureau of Special Investigations, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and the Guaynabo Municipal Police.

According to court documents, defendant Brian Oniel Blassini, together with Manfred A. Pentzke Lemus, a.k.a. “Man/Contable/El Gestor”, Rodolpho R. Pagesy Roussel, a.k.a. “El Banquero”, Augusto A. Lemus Berrios, a.k.a. “Primo”, Jonatan Ben David Prieto Ruiz De Val, a.k.a. “Johnny Millones”, Ligia María Lemus De Pentzke, and others knowingly devised a scheme to defraud the SBA and Bank 1 to obtain federal money and property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises submitted through applications for EIDL and PPP loans made available to help small businesses recover from the impact of the pandemic through the CARES Act. Pentzke Lemus, Pagesy Roussel, Lemus Berrios, Prieto Ruiz De Val, and Lemus De Pentzke were previously charged in April in a separate indictment.

The defendants are:

[1] Brian Oniel Blassini

[2] Denise Marie Torres Polonio

[3] Rosario Polonio Báez

[4] Isaac Adorno Polonio

[5] Luis Manuel González Blassini

[6] Carlos J. Negrón Flores

[7] Christopher Molina Chévere

[8] Edgar R. Rodríguez Torres

[9] Giovanni Hernández Collazo

[10] Ismael Ramírez Zayas

[11] Jancarlo Morales

[12] Julio Vera De Jesús

[13] Kiara Lee Sierra Bermúdez

[14] Luis Miguel Burgos Dávila

[15] Maximino Vera Rivera

[16] Michael Jovany Pagán Ruiz

[17] Nelson Yadiel Rodríguez Vega

[18] Roberto Argenis Fragoso Negrón

[19] Saúl L. Maldonado Acosta

[20] Homar Javier Horta Torres

[21] Carlos E. Nevárez Correa

[22] Elías Díaz Delgado

[23] Michelle Crespo Blanco

[24] Norberto Torres Colón

[25] Stephanie D. Ruiz Martínez

[26] Victor L. González Barbosa

[27] Yanhzee Puig Maisonet

The CARES Act authorized federal assistance through the issuance of SBA loans to small businesses and non-profit entities that experienced revenue loss due to the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic. The EIDL program was one such loan assistance program for small businesses. To procure the loan, applicants had to fill out an online application detailing operational information for the 12‑month period prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the number of employees in the business, the gross business revenues realized, and the cost of goods sold. Another form of assistance provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of United States taxpayer funds in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, such as interest on mortgages, rent and utilities, through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

The indictment alleges that the defendants and their co-conspirators submitted at least 23 fraudulent EIDL and PPP loan applications containing materially false and fraudulent information and false documents, including false and fictitious tax documents, payroll records, bank records, and identification documents, to procure the disbursement of EIDL and PPP assistance loans by Bank 1. The indictment further alleges that the defendants and their co-conspirators directed the recipients of the fraudulently obtained PPP and EIDL loans to remit a portion of the proceeds of the loans to the defendants and their co-conspirators and used the loan proceeds to benefit themselves and others, and to pay for expenses prohibited under the requirements of the EIDL and PPP programs.

The court documents claim that defendant Manfred A. Pentzke Lemus was the principal organizer of the fraudulent scheme and the efforts to launder the proceeds; defendant Rodolpho R. Pagesy Roussel worked at Bank 1 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and used his position to obtain the approval of fraudulent PPP applications; defendant Augusto A. Lemus Berríos assisted in the preparation of fraudulent PPP applications; defendant Jonatan Ben David Prieto Ruiz De Val acted as a money courier and coordinated the delivery of “kickback” payments to further the fraudulent scheme; defendant Ligia María Lemus De Pentzke received “kickback” payments from proceeds of the fraudulent scheme and forwarded them to her co‑conspirators; and defendant Carlos Manfredo Pentzke Chamorro received fraudulent PPP and EIDL loans in furtherance of the conspiracy.

Defendants Brian Oniel Blassini and Homar Javier Horta Torres are facing one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, for knowingly conducting financial transactions involving the proceeds of wire fraud, together with other individuals previously indicted. The defendants, including Brian Oniel Blassini, are also alleged to have recruited other unindicted co-conspirators to not only obtain additional EIDL and PPP loans under false pretenses, but recruit others to submit fraudulent applications. 

If convicted, the defendants are facing up to 30 years in prison for the wire fraud counts. Brian Oniel Blassini and Homar Javier Horta Torres are also facing up to 20 years of imprisonment for the money laundering count.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy R. Henwood and Daniel J. Olinghouse. 

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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