The federal indictments name eight men from the Tampa Bay area, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

TAMPA – Two federal indictments were unsealed Thursday (April 19) that charged 15 men of drug trafficking.

One indictment, the men charged with conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine heroin are Jesus Manuel Rodriguez, a/k/a “Caltu,” 30, Brandon; Bryan Gomez Nevarez, 30, Avon Park; Hector Jose Carrasquillo Perez, a/k/a “Tito.” 25, Catano, Puerto Rico; Henry Coira, 30, Avon Park; Luis Enrique Hernandez Quinones, a/k/a “Gordo,” 28, Davenport; Avisys Lee Jackson, 27, Tampa; Javier Albaladejo Lopez, a/k/a “the Barber,” 23, Tampa; Jose Angel Mendoza, Jr., 28, Tampa; Pedro Luis Ramos Burgos, 25, Kissimmee; William Leverne Norton, a/k/a “Cool,” 40, Tampa; Edgar Hernandez, a/k/a “Chuck,” 27, Tampa; and Ismael Pagan Marrero, 42, Orlando.

If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison

In a separate indictment, Roberto Torres Gracia, a/k/a “el Silencio,” 40, Pinellas Park; Eddie Alberto Pagan Santiago, a/k/a “Primo,” 37, San Juan, Puerto Rico; and David Santiago, a/k/a “Flaco,” 33, Tampa are charged with conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute heroin. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison.

According to the indictment and information presented in court, between May 2017 and April 2018, the defendants conspired to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin and more than 20 kilograms of cocaine. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has violated one or more of the federal criminal laws.

These cases were investigated by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.

Agencies involved in this OCDETF operation include the FBI, the Tampa Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

Tampa Police | Hillsborough Sheriff | Crime | Drug Trafficking | Tampabay News

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