Eleven Men Indicted On Federal Drug Distribution And Firearm Charges
BOSTON - John J. Arvanitis, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Boston Field Division; United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Boston Field Office; Hampden County District Attorney Mark. G. Mastroianni; United States Marshal John Gibbons; Hampden County Sheriff Michael Ashe; Colonel Timothy P. Alben, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Holyoke Police Chief James M. Neiswanger, made the announced that ten Holyoke men, and one Springfield man, were charged in federal court in Springfield on charges of distributing drugs and possessing firearms and ammunition. In addition, eight individuals were also charged with state drug charges.
Kelly Arzate, 29; Francisco Diaz, 34; Antonio Caraballo, 35; Luzander Montoya, 29; Miguel Medina, 30; William Rodriguez, 28; Pedro Colon, 31; Reynaldo Figueroa, 27; Miguel Alcazar, 23; and Edison Lajara, 25, all of Holyoke, and Charlie Santiago, 32, of Springfield, were charged in separate indictments with distributing and possessing with intent to distribute heroin or cocaine. Figueroa and Colon were also indicted for unlawful possession of a firearm.
The indictments allege that each defendant distributed heroin or cocaine in Holyoke between August of 2012 and March of 2013. The indictments further allege that Figueroa and Colon also possessed a firearm and ammunition during that time period. The indictments were the result of a long-term investigation by law enforcement into heroin and cocaine trafficking in Holyoke by members of the La Familia and Latin Kings street gangs.
If convicted on these charges, Arzate faces up to life in prison, Montoya, Figueroa, Colon, Santiago, Caraballo, Alcazar and Lajara, face up to 30 years and Diaz, Rodriguez, and Medina face up to 20 years. In addition, Figueroa and Colon also face up to 10 years on the firearms charges.
