United States Drug Enforcement Administration

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney, in conjunction with our partner agencies in the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) announce the following investigative and prosecutorial results for the week of May 26 through May 29, 2026.  The HSTF is a permanent, interagency law enforcement task force created by executive order to combat transnational criminal organizations—including cartels, trafficking networks, and foreign terrorist organizations.  

Indictments:

• On May 28, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment charging three Dominican nationals with conspiracy and attempt to import cocaine into the United States from the Dominican Republic. According to court documents, on May 15, 2026, defendants José Manuel Clase-Montilla, Daniel Luis Cuevas, and Pedro Emmanuel Carrión-Sánchez knowingly and intentionally conspired to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Specifically, HSTF seized approximately 178 kilograms of cocaine that the defendants were smuggling in a vessel. Defendant Carrión-Sánchez is facing one count of failure to heave because, while being the person in charge of the vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, he knowingly and unlawfully failed to obey an order by an authorized Federal Law enforcement officer to heave that vessel. In addition, the three defendants are each facing an immigration charge of improper entry by alien. Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Luis A. Valentín is in charge of the prosecution of the case. A copy of the indictment is attached to this press release.

Convictions through Guilty Pleas:

• On May 27, 2026, Paola Romero-Marín pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine in Criminal Case No. 25-277 (RAM). According to court documents, the defendant attempted to transport kilograms of cocaine through the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. The defendant was arrested on June 13, 2025. AUSA Ryan R. McCabe is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 27, 2026, Paul Herrera-Rivera, Jazhiel Ocasio-Herrera, Jean Fernández-Garay and Yander Santos-Ramos pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.  Paul Herrera-Rivera, Jazhiel Ocasio-Herrera and Yander Santos-Ramos also pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking in Criminal Case No. 24-453 (MAJ).  According to the indictment, the defendants were charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated out of several public housing projects in the Carolina and San Juan areas, including the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project.  Defendants were arrested on December 11, 2024. The court set defendants’ sentencing date for August 26, 2026. AUSA Laura Diaz and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 28, 2026, José David Serrano-Santiago pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (Count One) and possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy (Count Seven) in Criminal Case No. 25-392 (SCC).  According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to distribute controlled substances in public housing projects and other areas in and around Cayey, Puerto Rico, and with using firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.  Defendant was arrested on September 26, 2026.AUSAs R. Vance Eaton and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 29, 2026, Christopher J. Fontanez-Vega pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (Count One) and possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy (Count Seven) in Criminal Case No. 25-392 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to distribute controlled substances in public housing projects and other areas in and around Cayey, Puerto Rico, and with using firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.  Defendant was arrested on September 25, 2026. AUSAs R. Vance Eaton and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 29, 2026, Melvin Germán-Muñoz pleaded guilty to violations of 18 U.S.C. § 2199 and 8 U.S.C. § 1325(a) in Criminal Case No. 26-160. According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with stowing away on a vessel and improper entry by an alien.  Defendant was arrested on April 17, 2026. The court set defendant’s sentencing for June 29, 2026. U.S. Coast Guard SAUSA Cody A. McKinney is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

Sentencings:

• On May 26, 2026, Yomvier Torres-Ruiz was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach to 121 months’ imprisonment, to be served concurrently with the state-level sentence in Cr. Nos. ISCR-2022-00597; ISCR-2022-00598; ISCR-2022-00599; ISCR-2022-00600 and ISCR-2022-00601. The Court imposed a term of supervised release of five years. The defendant was sentenced for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, defendant was charged on March 22, 2023, in Criminal Case No. 23-114 (RAM), and pleaded guilty on February 25, 2026. AUSA Corinne Cordero-Romo is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 26, 2026, Luis J. Alvarado-De La Cruz was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Gina Méndez-Miró to five years’ imprisonment for conspiring to distribute between 3.5 kilograms and 5 kilograms cocaine. According to court documents, defendant was charged on May 22, 2024, in Criminal Case No. 24-188 (GMM), and pleaded guilty on February 24, 2026. AUSAs R. Vance Eaton and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 26, 2026, Luis Marino Medina-Martínez was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán to 87 months of imprisonment for drug trafficking. According to court documents, defendant was charged on May 4, 2023, in Criminal Case No. 23-178 (MAJ), and pleaded guilty on February 11, 2026. AUSA Antonio Pérez is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 27, 2026, Jeorge Jhonney Lara was re-sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán to 96 months of imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release for conspiring to possess and possessing with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. According to court documents, defendant was charged on April 4, 2023, in Criminal Case No. 23-139 (MAJ), and pleaded guilty on October 31, 2023. AUSA Antonio J. López-Rivera is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 27, 2026, Antonio López-Olivencia was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Aida Delgado Colón to 33 months of imprisonment and 8 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, defendant was charged on April 9, 2025, in Criminal Case No. 25-184 (ADC) and pleaded guilty on January 26, 2026.  AUSA Laura Díaz González and Andres Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• Ezequiel Soto Bonilla was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Aida Delgado Colón to 60 months of imprisonment and 8 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, defendant was charged on April 9, 2025, in Criminal Case No. 25-184 (ADC) and pleaded guilty on February 12, 2025.  AUSA Laura Díaz González and Andres Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 28, 2026, Juan Ortiz-Mendoza was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Aida Delgado Colon to 144 months of imprisonment and 8 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, the defendant was charged on April 9, 2025, in Criminal Case No. 25-184 (ADC) and pleaded guilty January 30, 2026.  AUSA Laura Díaz González and Andres Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 28, 2026, Jonathan Rodríguez-Acosta was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Aida Delgado Colón to 120 months of imprisonment and 6 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, the defendant was charged on April 9, 2025, in Criminal Case No. 25-184 (ADC) and pleaded guilty on January 30, 2026.  AUSA Laura Díaz González and Andres Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 28, 2026, Argelis Marcano-Zerpa was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll to 30 months of imprisonment for conspiring to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States, jettisoning property subject to forfeiture, and related charges. According to court documents, defendant was charged on March 6, 2025, in Criminal Case No. 25-114 (SCC), and pleaded guilty to the charges on February 19, 2026. AUSA Lani Lear is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 29, 2026, Wanda Vargas-Álvarez was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Gina Méndez-Miró to 12 months and 1 day of imprisonment followed by supervised release term of 6 years for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 200 to 300 grams of cocaine. According to court documents, defendant was charged on May 22, 2024, in Criminal Case No. 24-188 (GMM), and pleaded guilty on October 21, 2025. AUSAs R. Vance Eaton and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

These prosecutions are 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.

HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.