HSI San Juan arrests 22 for drug trafficking, illegal possession of firearms in Mayagüez
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), working alongside the Puerto Rico Police Department's Mayagüez Strike Force, arrested Tuesday in Mayagüez 20 gang members on drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms charges. The arrests follow an HSI years-long investigation into a drug trafficking organization engaged in the possession and distribution of controlled substances.
"This case exemplifies that those involved in the distribution of narcotics and other contraband will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted," said Iván J. Arvelo, special agent in charge of HSI San Juan. "HSI thanks our local, state and federal law enforcement partners for their significant cooperation in dismantling this drug trafficking organization."
According to court documents, from 2016, the drug trafficking organization distributed cocaine base, commonly known as crack, heroin, cocaine and marijuana, within the Franklin D. Roosevelt Public Housing Project (PHP) and other areas in the municipality of Mayagüez, all for financial gain and profit.
As part of the conspiracy, the members of the drug trafficking gang established drug points that moved within different areas inside the PHP to avoid police detection. Some co-conspirators collected the profits from the drug trafficking sales and traveled within the municipality of Mayagüez and the other regions nearby to deliver the proceeds to the organization's leaders. The defendants had access to different vehicles to transport money, narcotics and firearms.
At different points during the conspiracy, the leaders provided various types of firearms to protect themselves, the narcotics and their proceeds. The leaders had final approval authority as to disciplinary action to impose upon residents of the PHP and the conspiracy members to maintain control of the drug trafficking activities in the area. The co-conspirators used force, violence and intimidation to maintain control of the regions in which they operated. Nine defendants are facing one count of possession of firearms.
The defendants acted in different roles such as leaders, enforcers, runners, sellers and facilitators to further the conspiracy's goals. The individuals arrested are:
- Luis S. Rivera-Ruiz
- Miguel Ángel Santiago-Jiménez
- Kifran A. Casiano-Alayon
- Jeffrey E. González-Vargas
- Joseph Vélez-Mondessi
- Jordany Ayala-Vega
- Eduardo Rodríguez-Rodríguez
- Chayanne Torres-Hernández
- Dianne Rivera-Rosas
- William F. Vélez-Borrero
- Emmanuel Alemar-Rosas
- José A. Rivera-Soto
- Nelson Rosario-Sánchez
- Roy Alexander Santiago-Vélez
- Keishla Marie Colón
- Erickson Lugo-Méndez
- Kevin O. Montalvo-Ruiz
- Kevin J. Rodríguez-Cruz
- Miguel Alfredo Ruiz-Rodríguez
- Yadiel Joebell Iglesias-Izquierdo
- Athdiel Aponte-Pérez
- Carlos G. Arce-Santiago
Three defendants, Francheska Valle-Díaz, Isben Jaret Rivera-Cardoza, and Isa Denisse Vélez-Cruz remain at-large.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Puerto Rico will prosecute the case.
HSI is a directorate of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and 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 over 10,400 employees consists of more than 7,100 Special Agents assigned to 220 cities throughout the United States and 80 overseas locations in 53 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.
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