Convictions through Guilty Pleas and Sentencings in Homeland Security TaskForce (HSTF) Prosecutions (August 10 through August 14, 2026)
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 August 10 through August 14, 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 August 11, 2026, Rayner Corredera-Luis pleaded guilty to violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h) in Criminal Case 25-397. According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to launder money. Defendant was arrested on October 9, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for November 13, 2026.
On August 12, 2026, Jorge Siberón-Flusa pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute four hundred (400) grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II Narcotic Drug Controlled Substance all in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) & (b)(1)(A)(vi), and 846. Defendant was arrested on August 1, 2024. The court set the defendant’s sentencing date for November 10, 2026.
Sentencings:
On August 10, 2026, Reinaldo Kidany Carrasquillo-Rodríguez was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Aida Delgado Colón to the time already served and supervised release of 3 years for a drug-trafficking violation. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on September 7, 2023, in Criminal Case 23-332 (ADC), and pleaded guilty on May 29, 2024.
On August 12, 2026, Ramón Antonio Vega-Ortiz was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Aida Delgado Colón to a term of 120 months (10 years) imprisonment and a supervised release term of five years for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine in excess of 450 kilograms of cocaine and conspiracy to launder in monetary instruments. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on September 23, 2021, in Criminal case 21-350 (ADC), and pleaded guilty to the charge(s) on July 14, 2023.
On August 13, 2026, Juan L. Tereforte-Bello, a.k.a. “Tostin” was sentenced by United States District Court Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán to seven (7) years and three (3) months in prison for his participation in a drug trafficking organization that worked out of various Public Housing Projects in the Carolina and San Juan areas, principally the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on December 5, 2024, in Criminal Case 24-453 (MAJ), and pleaded guilty on May 13, 2026.
On August 13, 2026, Eduardo A. Tolentino-Meléndez was sentenced by United States District Court Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán to five (5) years in prison for his participation in a drug trafficking organization that worked out of various Public Housing Projects in the Carolina and San Juan areas, principally the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on December 5, 2024, in Criminal Case 24-453 (MAJ), and pleaded guilty on May 13, 2026.
On August 13, 2026, José Francisco De La Cruz-Díaz was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach to a term of 120 months imprisonment and a supervised release term of five years concurrent to each count of conviction in Criminal case 22-234 (RAM). According to court documents, defendant was indicted on February 19, 2025, and pleaded guilty to all charges on April 22, 2026.
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.
About the DEA Caribbean Division
The DEA Caribbean Division is responsible for enforcing the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States and investigating major drug trafficking organizations operating throughout Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Caribbean region. DEA works alongside federal, state, local, and international partners to identify, disrupt, and dismantle transnational criminal organizations that threaten the safety and security of the United States.
