United States Drug Enforcement Administration

TAMPA, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jorge Hernan Gonzalez-Ortiz, 50, of Colombia, and Carlos Andres Aldana-Gil, 43, also of Colombia, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States. Each faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. A sentencing date...

MIAMI – Four South Florida residents have been sentenced to federal prison for distributing fentanyl and meth. On Jan. 16, Gito St. Fort, 35, of West Palm Beach, Fla., a career criminal, was sentenced to 320 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of a controlled substance resulting...

MIAMI– On Dec. 10, Blake Alfonso Kolessa, 27, of Greenacres, Fla., was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks for possessing with intent to distribute metonitazene, N-desethyl isotonitazene, and methamphetamine. Kolessa previously pled guilty...

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Billy Ruiz (46, California) guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Ruiz faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. His...

TAMPA , F la. – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced that Nestor Hugo Gomez-Garcia (38, Colombia), a/k/a “Simon,” “Guava,” and “Guavita,” pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine on vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up...

TAMPA, F la. – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced that Eliezer De Leon-Lopez (38, Guatemala), a/k/a “Wiro Loco” and “Daniel Martinez,” pleaded guilty today to conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison...

TAMPA, Fla. – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington sentenced Lennen Pacheco Colon (25, Orlando) to 6 years and 11 months in federal prison for distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl, to be served consecutive to a 200 month sentence the defendant has received in the Southern District...

JACKSONVILLE , Fla . - U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard sentenced Zachariah Ryan Luke (28, Bennettsville, South Carolina) to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a...

ORLANDO , Fla . – U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger sentenced Anna Parsons (38, Poinciana) to 15 years in federal prison for fentanyl distribution and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Parsons had pleaded guilty on August 29, 2023. According to court documents, at approximately 1:00 a.m. on March...

ORLANDO , Fla . – U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger sentenced Patrick Silfrain (41, Winter Garden) to 21 years and ten (10) months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. The court also ordered Silfrain to forfeit firearms used in the conspiracy, as well as jewelry, and over $600,000...