2 September – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Miami Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Robert Parker, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department, announced today that ten individuals, Jorge Mesquida, Roberto Torrens, Roberto Hernandez, Giannis Bernardo, Roberto Mures, Jorge Luis Santana-Lopez, Kaleb Gonzalez, Jorge Martinez, Yuneisi Portas Gonzalez, and Alfredo Marquez, have been charged in a thirteen (13) count Indictment with conspiracy, possession, and distribution of various narcotic drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. The charges against these ten individuals were set forth in an Indictment issued by a Miami federal Grand Jury that was unsealed today. The Indictment stems from a joint investigation between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Miami-Dade Police Department.
The Indictment contains thirteen counts. Among other charges, Mesquida, Torrens, Hernandez, Bernardo, Mures, Santana-Lopez, Gonzalez, Portas Gonzalez, and Marquez are charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana from April 2004 through August 2005. As well, defendants Mesquida and Portas Gonzalez are charged with distribution of methamphetamine. Upon conviction, all of the defendants, except Martinez, face a maximum of life in prison. Martinez faces up to twenty years in prison.
United States Attorney Acosta stated, “Fighting the danger of meth is a top U.S. Attorney’s Office priority. We stand absolutely committed to using all of our resources to rid our community of this poison, and to act proactively to prevent meth trafficking and production from becoming embedded in South Florida neighborhoods.”
“Violent drug offenders will not be allowed to prey on our neighborhoods with impunity. These traffickers who distributed death and despair in the form of methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana are out of business today. They will not be allowed to infect our communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Mark R. Trouville. “This case was successful because of the hard work and dedication of federal and local agents and officers. I would like to commend the Miami-Dade Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office. These joint efforts will continue.”
Miami-Dade Police Director Robert Parker added, “Today’s indictment is a successful strike against the proliferation of drugs in our community. It is also an example of the success we can have when federal, state, and local law enforcement join together to fight the war on drugs.”
Mr. Acosta commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Miami-Dade Police Department, the Hialeah Police Department, and the Glades County Sheriff’s Office for their cooperative investigative efforts in this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Gardey.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on .
