22 December – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, Sheriff Ric L. Bradshaw, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Assistant Chief Russell Bruce, West Palm Beach Police Department, Chief William Smith, Lake Worth Police Department, and Christina Pharo, United States Marshal for the Southern District of Florida, announced today the unsealing of three Indictments returned by a West Palm Beach federal grand jury charging thirty-two South Florida residents with possession with intent to distribute heroin, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of one or more drug trafficking crimes, and possession of a firearm by a felon. This long-term investigation, called Operation Carpet Bagger, targeted the middle and upper levels of a major heroin smuggling and distribution organization that operated primarily in the Palm Beach County area. Today, twenty-four (24) individuals were arrested federally, six others are in state custody, and two remain fugitives.
In United States v. Liria De J Alvarez Hernandez, et al, Case Number 05-80210-Cr-Hurley/Vitunac, fifteen defendants are charged with various drug offenses. Specifically, the Indictment charges three separate conspiracies to distribute heroin in South Florida. Count One of the Indictment charges defendants Mario Padilla, Angela Padilla, Tommie Harris, Amaury Hernandez, Kervin Alberto Reyes, Sabino Rosario, Max Ramiro Nicolas-Cuadra and Daniel Rosario (“the Padilla conspiracy”) with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin in an amount that was at least one (1) kilogram. Counts Two through Five charge defendants Kervin Alberto Reyes, Mario Padilla, Sabino Rosario, Daniel Rosario Tommie Harris and Max Ramiro Nicolas-Cuadra with at least one count with possession with intent to distribute heroin.
A second conspiracy is charged in Count Six of the Indictment against defendants Carlos Borges, Henry Garcia, Sabino Rosario, Daniel Rosario, Juan Alberto, Juan Mercado and Daniel Rosario (“the Borges conspiracy”). They are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin in an amount that was at least one (1) kilogram. Counts Seven and Eight charge defendants Carlos Borges, Sabino Rosario, Daniel Rosario, Juan Alberto, Henry Garcia, and Juan Mercado with at least one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin.
The third conspiracy is charged in Count Nine of the Indictment. It charges defendants Jose Diaz, Henry Garcia, Liria Hernandez, and Wilmer Emmanuelli (“the Diaz conspiracy”) with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin in an amount that was at least one (1) kilogram. Lastly, Count Ten charges defendants Jose Diaz, Liria Hernandez, and Wilmer Emmanuelli with possession with intent to distribute heroin.
If convicted, the members of the Padilla conspiracy face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of up to life in prison for Count One. If convicted, the members of the Borges conspiracy face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of up to life in prison for Count Six. If convicted, the members of the Diaz conspiracy face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of up to life in prison for Count Nine.
In United States v. Sabino Eugene Rosario, et al, Case Number 05-80016-Cr-Cohn/Snow, the Superseding Indictment charges another fifteen (15) defendants. Count One charges defendants Sabino Rosario, Frank Allen Rosario, Frankie Alan Rosario, Gerald Francis Bielen, Patrick Anthony Lovallo, Terrell Burney, Mark Burgor, Edward Eugene Burgor, Ariel Cruz, John Sanchez, Danny Shafrank, and Yinerie Rosario (“the Rosario conspiracy”) with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin in an amount that was at least one (1) kilogram. Counts Two, Three, and Five through Eleven, charge defendants Sabino Rosario, Chase Anthony Andrade, Danny Shafrank, Jose Mojica, Frank Allen Rosario, Ariel Cruz, Frankie Alan Rosa with at least one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin.
In Counts Twelve and Thirteen of the Superseding Indictment, defendant Frankie Alan Rosario is charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of one or more drug trafficking crimes, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, respectively. Count Fourteen charges defendant Sabino Rosario with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
If convicted, the members of the Sabino conspiracy face a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison for Count One. If convicted of the charges in Counts Two and Three and Five through Eleven, defendants Sabino Rosario, Chase Anthony Andrade, Danny Shafrank, Jose Mojica, Frank Allen Rosario, Ariel Cruz, Frankie Alan Rosario, Patrick Anthony Lovallo, David Edwin Erickson, Terrell Burney, and John Sanchez face a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
In United States v. Pablo Omar Hernandez, et al., Case Number 05-20942-Cr-Lenard/Klein, charged defendants Pablo Omar Hernandez, Edward Ali Perdomo, and Aristides Nicholas Farina-Fernandez (“the Hernandez conspiracy”) with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin in an amount that was at least one (1) kilogram. In Count Two, Pablo Omar Hernandez, Edward Ali Perdomo, and Aristides Nicholas Farina-Fernandez are charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin in an amount that was at least one (1) kilogram. If convicted, the members of the Hernandez conspiracy face a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of up to life as to Counts One and Two.
U.S. Attorney Acosta stated, “This case successfully disrupted the organization and operation of a powerful and dangerous heroin trafficking network operating in South Florida. Thanks to the hard work of our dedicated law enforcement agents, our streets are safer for our children. Stopping the flow of narcotics into our shores and onto our streets remains one of our highest priorities.”
“Heroin, though not a drug presently headlining most news stories, has never gone away,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Mark R. Trouville. “It remains an incredibly destructive drug that poses a great danger to the residents of our communities. DEA, along with our partners in local law enforcement, will continue to pursue those individuals who attempt to infect our communities with this poison.”
According to Sheriff Ric L. Bradshaw, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, these federal indictments, arrests and searches in Palm Beach, Broward and Dade Counties will lead to a significant reduction in the distribution of heroin in Palm Beach County. This case represents a perfect example of the excellent cooperation that exists between the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and state and local authorities.
Assistant Chief Russell Bruce, West Palm Beach Police Department, added, “The City of West Palm Beach Police Department is committed to working with all of our local and federal law enforcement partners in investigations of this magnitude to bring criminals to justice. On behalf of the City of West Palm Beach, we would like to commend the efforts of the agents and officers who dedicated themselves to help rid our communities of these individuals. As these type investigations continue, rest assured that the West Palm Beach Police Department will continue to aggressively participate in this cause. Again these agencies have shown what positive results can be achieved when the cooperative effort is made.”
“This case concludes more than a year’s worth of investigation by the Lake Worth Police Department. We are proud to have played a role in the detection, apprehension and prosecution of the individuals responsible for distribution of multiple kilos of heroin in and around the Lake Worth area. Helping to put this ring out of business was a top priority for our Police Department. Heroin is a horribly destructive force in any community and our residents deserve to live free from that. Our goal is to put these types of drug organizations out of business. These arrests today and the dismantling of this criminal organization will most certainly reduce other crimes, including violent crimes in our community.”
Mr. Acosta commended the investigative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pam Beach County Sheriff’s Office, West Palm Beach Police Department, Lake Worth Police Department, and the United States Marshals Service for their work on this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly Dunn Abel and Lothrop Morris.
