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Source: US FBI

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On February 5, 2025, a federal jury convicted María De Lourdes Martínez-Garriga, a former United States Postal Service City Carrier, for unlawfully delaying and not delivering four pieces of election mail.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on August 5, 11 and 15, 2022, Martínez-Garriga, 34, a then City Carrier assigned to the 65th Infantry Postal Office in San Juan, Puerto Rico unlawfully delayed four certified mail envelopes containing ballots for the 2022 Special Election for the District of San Juan. All affected voters confirmed, and four of them testified at trial, that despite having requested early vote ballots from the Puerto Rico Elections Commission they never received the Election Mail envelopes.

“Our democracy depends on the right of eligible voters to cast a ballot and to have that ballot counted. If voters do not receive their ballots, they cannot execute one of our fundamental rights as United States citizens — the right to vote,” said United States Attorney Muldrow. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office along with our law enforcement partners will continue to protect this fundamental pillar of our society.”

“Placing mail into the hands of the Postal Service is an act of public trust all postal employees must uphold,” said Tammy Hull, Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service. “Ms. Martínez violated that trust by delaying the delivery of election mail. Through our investigation USPS OIG special agents brought her to justice and she has been convicted of her crimes by a jury.”

“The FBI is committed to protecting the integrity of our democratic processes, including ensuring that every voter’s voice is heard. Any attempt to interfere with election mail is a violation of public trust and a threat to the foundation of our democracy,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “This case is the result of our unwavering dedication to holding accountable those who undermine the electoral system.”

Three other former U.S. Postal Service employees were charged in separate indictments, and they are all pending trial. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) is investigating the case with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), consistent with the mission to ensure efficiency, accountability, and integrity in the U.S. Postal Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Colón and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tania Salas-De Jesús from the USPS-OIG are prosecuting the case.

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Source: US FBI

An indictment was unsealed today charging Calvert White, the commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation (SP&R), and Benjamin Hendricks, a local businessman, with participating in a bribery scheme. Both defendants made their initial court appearances today in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

According to court documents, White, 49, of St. Thomas, solicited and accepted a bribe from a then-government contractor, David Whitaker, through Hendricks, 62, also of St. Thomas, who acted as an intermediary. The indictment alleges that the scheme began in at least December 2023 and continued until June 2024. In exchange for the bribe paid by Whitaker, White allegedly agreed to assist Whitaker in obtaining a $1.43 million contract with SP&R. White, amongst other acts, allegedly provided confidential bid information to Whitaker and took official action to encourage the awarding of the contract to Whitaker. Hendricks allegedly served as a middleman for the payments and facilitated the bribery scheme.

White and Hendricks are each charged with one count of honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; and one count of federal program bribery, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Delia Smith for the District of the Virgin Islands; and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI San Juan Field Office, St. Thomas Resident Agency is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Alexandre Dempsey and Steve Loew of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Conley for the District of the Virgin Islands are prosecuting the case.

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

Source: US FBI

St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that William Giraldo Cabanzo, 59, of Columbia, was sentenced by Chief District Judge Robert A. Molloy to six months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Bring Aliens to the United States.

According to the court documents, Cabanzo facilitated the illegal entry of a family of four Venezuelans into the United States using fabricated travel documents. Cabanzo arranged for the family to travel from Venezuela to the British Virgin Islands and thereafter to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, by private vessel. From St. John, the family traveled on a commercial ferry to St. Thomas where their illegal entry into the United States was discovered by law enforcement. Upon completion of his incarceration, Cabanzo, himself an illegal alien having been removed from the United States in 2021, will be deported to his native Colombia, pursuant to federal immigration laws.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cherrisse R. Woods.

Source: US FBI

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On December 12, 2024, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging 34 individuals with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances within the Puerto Rico prison system, and other offenses, including charges relating to four overdose deaths.

According to court documents, defendants distributed fentanyl, suboxone, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and synthetic marijuana within Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities. Members of the drug organization smuggled the drugs into the jails using unmanned aerial vehicles (“drones”) that carried packages containing the illegal substances. Other smuggling methods included the use of legal mail, family visits, official corruption/indifference, catapulting or throwing drugs into the prison yards (“picheos”), and hiding drugs inside other items brought into the prisons (e.g., PlayStations, remote controls, food items, and bags of ice).

During the time period relevant to the Indictment, the illegal substances introduced by this drug trafficking organization also caused many overdoses, including at least four overdose deaths attributed to a drug mixture containing fentanyl.

Many of the defendants arrested today were part of a prison gang known as Group 31 or “Los Tiburones”. Group 31 established and maintained control of the distribution of significant quantities of illegal substances within numerous institutions operated by the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Those institutions included, but were not limited to: Institución Correccional Guerrero, Aguadilla; Complejo Correccional Las Cucharas Sgto. Pedro Joel Rodríguez Matos, Ponce; Institución Correccional Bayamón (501); and Institución Correccional Guayama Máxima Seguridad (1000). The defendants charged in the indictment are:

[1] Juan Carlos Ortiz-Vázquez, a.k.a. “Flaco”

[2] Cristina Guevara-Casellas

[3] Elías Martínez-Rivera, a.k.a. “Viejo-Coli”

[4] José Luis Audain-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Wichy/Negre/Doble V-W/Dobleta”

[5] Christopher Sánchez-Asencio, a.k.a. “Guayna”

[6] Moisés Mojica-Torres, a.k.a. “Moi”

[7] Ernesto Malavé-Santiago, a.k.a. “Ponce”

[8] Steve Vergeli-Negrón, a.k.a. “Bocillo”

[9] Jim Almodóvar-Quirindongo, a.k.a. “Jim Ball”

[10] Ángel Abdiel Archilla-Montalvo

[11] Efraín González-Serrano, a.k.a. “El Señor De Los Cielos/Junito”

[12] Ernesto Vargas-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Golo”

[13] Eddiber Pérez-Burgos, a.k.a. “Coamo”

[14] Abraham Rodríguez-Cruz, a.k.a. “Bebe”

[15] Alexander Alvarado-Almestica, a.k.a. “Bala”

[16] Jensen Medina Cardona

[17] Edgardo Santiago-Colón, a.k.a. “Cuco”

[18] Edwin Sánchez-Rijos, a.k.a. “Tocayo”

[19] Félix Serrano-Román, a.k.a. “Coba”

[20] Harry Acevedo-Méndez, a.k.a. “La H”

[21] Heriberto Romero-Corchado, a.k.a. “Eri”

[22] James Santana-González, a.k.a.  “Pilin”

[23] Julio Vargas-Jiménez, a.k.a. “Julio Gatillo”

[24] Kervin López-Torres, a.k.a. “Beethoven/Gordo/Gemelo”

[25] Kevin Hernández-Ruiz, a.k.a. “Pesadilla”

[26] Miguel González-Concepción, a.k.a. “Omy Barber/Omy Gallina”

[27] Luis Meléndez-García, a.k.a.  “Luisito Humacao”

[28] Aníbal Ramírez-Alicea, a.k.a. “Nibby/Aníbal Martínez-Alicea”

[29] Benny Rodríguez-Mercado

[30] Christian Candelaria-Feliciano, a.k.a. “Garbanzo”

[31] Donato Cortés-Matos

[32] Wesley Correa-López

[33] Milagros Jeanette Rivera-González, a.k.a. “Janet”

[34] Minerva Román-Domínguez

“Gang activity poses a grave risk of harm to our communities and within correctional institutions,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “For several years, these gang members and their associates distributed significant quantities of lethal drugs within the local prison system, through the enforcement of strict rules and violence. This indictment is the culmination of a coordinated federal and state law enforcement investigation aimed at dismantling this criminal organization.”

“This operation represents a critical step in our fight against the influx of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs into Puerto Rico’s correctional facilities,” said Denise Foster, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Caribbean Division. “By dismantling this organization and disrupting their use of drones to smuggle contraband, we are not only holding criminals accountable, but also saving lives. This success highlights the power of collaboration between federal, state, and local agencies, and underscores our commitment to protecting the people of Puerto Rico from the devastating effects of drug trafficking.”

The defendants are scheduled for their initial court appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Giselle López Soler of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, they face a maximum sentence of life in prison on the drug trafficking and firearm charges, and a maximum sentence of ten years for the money laundering charges.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is in charge of the investigation with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau Ponce Strike Force, Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Puerto Rico Department of Justice, Puerto Rico Forensic Sciences Institute, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Border Patrol, United States Customs and Border Protection, the United States Marshals Service, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and Homeland Security Investigations.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jorge L. Matos of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting the case.

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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Source: US FBI

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – James Evans, 35, of Horsham, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization that sold large amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine in Monongalia County.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Evans traveled from the Philadelphia area to Monongalia County to sell controlled substances. During the execution of a search warrant on an apartment in Morgantown, officers found Evans asleep with a loaded pistol, three more stolen firearms, more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, more than 150 grams of fentanyl, and cocaine. Evans has prior drug and firearms convictions.

Evans will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

This case was investigated by the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative. The task force consists of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the West Virginia State Police; the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office; the Monongalia County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office; the Morgantown Police Department; the WVU Police Department; the Granville Police Department; and the Star City Police Department.

This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.

Source: US FBI

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Beecher Lee Shuler, 43, of Huntington, was sentenced today to six years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 21, 2023, Shuler sold approximately 3.48 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant for $275. Shuler admitted that he conducted the transaction at his Huntington residence and arranged the transaction beforehand with the confidential informant.

On July 1, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Shuler’s residence and seized cocaine, oxycodone, at least 3,787 tablets containing protonitazene, six firearms and approximately $1,111. Protonitazene is a synthetic opioid potentially more dangerous and deadly than fentanyl, and the seized tablets weighed approximately 813 grams.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-151.

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