United States Drug Enforcement Administration

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, Héctor Ramírez-Carbó, Acting United States Attorney, in conjunction with our partner agencies in the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) announce the following prosecutorial results for the week of July 13 through July 17, 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.

Convictions through Guilty Pleas:

On July 14, 2026, Melvis Marcano-González pleaded guilty to Count One of the Superseding Indictment in Criminal Case 21-317 (PAD). According to the Indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 225 kilograms of cocaine, aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Defendant was extradited from Colombia on June 13, 2024. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for October 9, 2026. 

On July 17, 2026, Kenneth Córdova-Real pleaded guilty to drug and firearm charges in case 23-353 (GMM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated out of various public housing projects in and near Manatí, PR including the Enrique Zorilla Public Housing Project. Defendant was arrested on September 22, 2023. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for October 19, 2026. 

On July 17, 2026, Jadriel Yandel Bruno-Rodríguez pleaded guilty to drug and firearm charges in case 23-353 (GMM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated out of various public housing projects in and near Manatí, PR including the Enrique Zorilla Public Housing Project. Defendant was arrested on September 22, 2023. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for October 19, 2026. 

On July 17, 2026, Kelvin Joel Rivas-Quiñonez pleaded guilty to drug and firearm charges in case 23-353 (GMM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated out of various public housing projects in and near Manatí, PR including the Enrique Zorilla Public Housing Project. Defendant was arrested on September 22, 2023. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for October 13, 2026. 

On July 15, 2026, Jeffrey Figueroa-Rosado pleaded guilty to Counts One and Seven in Criminal Case number 25-272 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Defendant was arrested on July 10, 2025. 

On July 16, 2026, Luis Abdiel Reyes Nieves pleaded guilty to Counts One and Seven in Criminal Case number 25-272 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Defendant was arrested on July 10, 2025. 

On July 17, 2026, Ezequiel Olivo Bido pleaded guilty to Count One in Criminal Case number 25-272 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Defendant was arrested on July 10, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for October 14, 2026. 

On July 17, 2026, Moisés Serrano De Jesús pleaded guilty to Count One in Criminal Case number 25-272 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Defendant was arrested on July 10, 2025. 

On July 17, 2026, Alexie Delgado Torres pleaded guilty to Count One in Criminal Case number 25-272 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Defendant was arrested on July 10, 2025. 

Sentencings:

On July 13, 2026, Joseph Ríos-Vélez was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Aida Delgado Colón to 108 months (9 years) of imprisonment to be followed 6 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on April 9, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-184 (ADC) and pleaded guilty on January 21, 2026. 

On July 13, 2026, Jonathan Martínez-González was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Aida Delgado Colón to 84 months of imprisonment (7 years), to be served consecutively to the 72-month (6 years) sentence imposed in case number 23-133 (MAJ), to be followed 8 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on April 9, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-184 (ADC) and pleaded guilty on January 14, 2026. 

On July 15, 2026, Yander Luis José-Peña pleaded guilty and was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Silvia L. Carreño-Coll to time served for improper entry by an alien. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on April 22, 2026, in Criminal Case 26-159. 

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.