A federal grand jury in Puerto Rico has indicted 56 members of a violent gang on charges related to drug trafficking, firearms violations, and murder. The indictment was announced by W. Stephen Muldrow, the United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau Carolina Strike Force.
"The prosecution of this drug trafficking organization exemplifies our ongoing efforts to dismantle drug gangs, and reduce violent crime and gun violence," said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. He expressed gratitude towards law enforcement partners for their work on the case.
Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office, emphasized a collaborative approach: "Combatting violent gangs requires a whole-of-society-approach and I am proud to say that this large-scale gang disruption is the result of the different government components."
The indictment covers activities from 2021 onwards involving heroin, fentanyl, cocaine base, cocaine, marijuana, Tramadol, and Clonazepam distributed near public housing projects in San Juan and Carolina. The accused operated under an agreement called "La Paz" (The Peace), which allowed them to collaborate without conflict while controlling drug activities through force and intimidation.
The group allegedly engaged in illegal firearm trafficking using social media platforms and obtained information from corrupt police officers to avoid detection. They are also accused of committing acts of violence to further their operations.
Among those charged are Victor J. Pérez-Fernández and Luis N. Isaac-Sánchez who face counts related to firearm-related murder eligible for the death penalty. If convicted on drug charges alone, defendants could face a minimum sentence of 10 years up to life imprisonment.
Assistant United States Attorneys Alberto López-Rocafort and Teresa Zapata-Valladares lead the prosecution as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) initiative aimed at disrupting high-level criminal organizations.
An indictment is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.