United States Drug Enforcement Administration

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The DEA Caribbean Division, working through the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) and alongside federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, announced today the return of a federal indictment charging 23 alleged members and associates of the violent criminal enterprise known as La Familia Nunca Muere (LFNM) with racketeering offenses involving murder, drug trafficking, and firearms violations.

The investigation targeted a violent organization alleged to have used murder, intimidation, narcotics trafficking, and firearms violence to establish and maintain criminal control throughout multiple areas of Puerto Rico. The charges represent a significant step toward dismantling a network allegedly responsible for spreading fear and violence in communities throughout the Island.

“This organization allegedly believed violence was power and murder was a way to conduct business,” said DEA Caribbean Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Mayer. “They believed fear would protect their operation and silence communities. Instead, they encountered an overwhelming law enforcement response built on intelligence, persistence, and unified action. This case demonstrates exactly what happens when agencies work together with one mission and one purpose: identify violent criminals, dismantle their organizations, and protect the people we serve.”This investigation was not built overnight,” Mayer added. “It required extensive intelligence collection, investigative resources, operational coordination, and countless hours of work from agents, task force officers, analysts, prosecutors, and our law enforcement partners. Today’s results send a clear message: no criminal organization, regardless of its size or reputation, is beyond our reach.”

The indictment alleges that LFNM, composed of Las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Cantera (Las FARC), Cantera Nueva Generación (CNG), and associated criminal groups operating throughout areas of San Juan, Bayamón, Carolina, Comerío, and Trujillo Alto, functioned as an organized criminal enterprise engaged in large-scale narcotics trafficking and violent criminal activity.

According to court documents, from approximately 2019 through the present, members and associates of the organization allegedly distributed controlled substances including heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, fentanyl, oxycodone, and alprazolam through various public housing projects and surrounding communities.

Investigators further allege members of the organization used violence and intimidation to protect drug trafficking activities, enhance the organization’s status among rival criminal groups, and maintain control of their criminal operations.

According to the indictment, on or about October 6, 2025, following the murder of a leader associated with Las FARC, members of the organization allegedly planned and carried out retaliatory acts of violence that resulted in the kidnapping and murder of five individuals.

The indictment charges fourteen defendants with murder in aid of racketeering. If convicted, those defendants face penalties up to life imprisonment and are eligible for the death penalty. T

[1]   Emmanuel Pacheco-Marín, a.k.a. “Bebo Las Farc/Bebo/Manuel/Cabezón/Viejo 

[2]   Edison Merced-Olivera, a.k.a. “Chino/Chino Pai/Chino Oriental/El Loco/Chino Las Margaritas/China/Pai/Pay” 

[4]   Segismar Rodríguez-Rivera, a.k.a “Segis/Seji/Ceji/Segui”

[5]   Rafael Prek-Vargas, a.k.a “Gordito/Goldito”

[6]   Nefty Oquendo-Rosario, a.k.a. “Mencho/N”

[8]   Fernando Hilario-Figueroa, a.k.a. “Bazuka/Bazu/Nando de Playita/Boti/Bazukaso/ Mi Alma Gemela” 

[9]   Jean Carlos Ramos-Valdivia, a.k.a. “Caponi/El Cantante/El Flaco”

[10] Pedro J. Cintrón-Álvarez, a.k.a. “Torombolo/Toro”

[12] Adam Miranda-Rivera

[13] Efraín Ortiz-Rivera, a.k.a. “Topi/Topy/El Malnacido 357/Topo 2024”

[14] Jonathan Selander-Tanco, a.k.a. “Pollo/Gallina/Gato/Ojos Claros”

[15] Wilson Álvarez-Barrera, a.k.a. “Wilson Fama/Fama/La Fama”

[16] Adnell Dones-Valdivia, a.k.a. “Crispan/Crispancito”

[18] José Yariel Ortiz-Santiago, a.k.a. “Sangre” 

The other defendants charged in the conspiracy to participate in a racketeering Enterprise are:

[3]   Alberto Valdez, a.k.a. “Pelota/Pelotero”

[7]   Steven González-Sánchez, a.k.a “El de los Tatuajes/Tatuajes”

[11] Jorge Torres-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Polly/Poyi/Ponce/Pollina”

[17] Luis Alfonso Amezquita-Falú, a.k.a. “Diablón”

[19] Christian López-Díaz, a.k.a. “Christian 25/Chris 25”

[20] Carlos Zalduondo-Díaz, a.k.a. “Colo”

[21] Sergio Meléndez-Maldonado, a.k.a. “Cape”

[22] Jessica Rosario-Burgos, a.k.a “La Mother”

[23] Nallelys Colón-Borrero, a.k.a “Naye/SylellaN”

In addition to racketeering-related charges, defendants are charged with multiple offenses including:

• Murder in aid of racketeering

• Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances

• Possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes

• Possession of machine guns in furtherance of drug trafficking offenses

The defendants allegedly occupied various roles within the enterprise, including leaders, drug point owners, enforcers, runners, sellers, lookouts, and coordinators.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA Caribbean Division REDRUM Task Force, in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), HSTF partners, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille García and Laura Díaz-González are leading the prosecution.

An indictment contains allegations only. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.