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Convictions through guilty pleas and sentencings in Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) prosecutions (Aug. 17 through Aug. 21, 2026)

 

Date: Aug. 26, 2026

Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov

San Juan, PR – 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 Aug. 17 through Aug. 21, 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 Aug. 17, 2026, Carlos Manuel Cotto-Cruz (1) and Pablo De la Cruz-Arias (21) pleaded guilty to Count One in CR Case 22-213 (ADC). According to the indictment, the defendants were charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances within one thousand (1,000) feet of the Vista Hermosa Public Housing Project (PHP), the Villa España PHP, the Luis Lloréns Torres PHP, and other areas nearby. Both defendants were arrested on May 25, 2022. The Court set defendant Carlos Manuel Cotto-Cruz’s sentencing date for Dec. 14, 2026, and defendant Pablo De la Cruz-Arias’ for Nov. 5, 2026. AUSA Corinne Cordero-Romo is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
  • On Aug. 18, 2026, Carlos Ramón Santiago Velázquez pleaded guilty to Count Three of the Superseding Indictment in Criminal Case 25-059-11 (FAB) as amended, namely conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine. Defendant was arrested on Oct. 2, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for Nov. 30, 2026. AUSA Luis A. Valentín is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
  • On Aug. 20, 2026, Harry Acevedo Méndez pleaded guilty to Count One in Criminal Case No. 24-456 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with drug trafficking inside state prison facilities. Defendant was arrested on Dec. 17, 2024. AUSA Myriam Y. Fernández-González in charge of the prosecution of the case.
  • On Aug. 21, 2026, Jonathan Cabassa-Cintrón pleaded guilty to violating Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A)(ii), and 846, in Criminal Case 25-441 (GMM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Defendant was arrested on Oct. 10, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for Nov. 30, 2026. SAUSA Cody A. McKinney is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
  • On Aug. 21, 2026, Karla Paola Gómez Pereira pleaded guilty via straight plea to Count One of Indictment in case number 26-010 (ADC). According to the indictment on Dec. 22, 2025, the defendant was charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine in excess of 5 kilograms. Defendant was arrested on Dec. 22, 2025. The defendant’s sentencing date is to be set by the Court. AUSA Luis A. Valentín is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
  • On Aug. 21, 2026, Juan Carlos Montero Florian pleaded guilty to all drug related charges in Indictment in case number 24-429-03 (SCC). According to the indictment on Oct. 13, 2024, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine in excess of 5 kilos aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, possession with intent to distribute cocaine in excess of 5 kilos aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and jettisoning bales of cocaine. Defendant was arrested on Oct. 13, 2024. The defendant’s sentencing date is to be set by the Court. AUSA Luis A. Valentín is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
  • On Aug. 21, 2026, Alejandro Saenz-Escobar pleaded guilty to possession of Suboxone in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Guaynabo in Criminal Case 25-475 (CVR). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with possessing Suboxone in MDC with the intent to distribute that Suboxone to others. Defendant was in MDC due to his involvement in a drug trafficking organization that operated in Manatí, Puerto Rico (principally the Enrique Zorilla Public Housing Project) and areas nearby. Defendant was charged with possession of the Suboxone on Nov. 12, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for Nov. 6, 2026. SAUSA Daphne Cordero and AUSA Joseph Russell in charge of the prosecution of the case.
  • On Aug. 21, 2026, Carlos Alexis Serrano-Vega pleaded guilty to Count One and Six in Criminal Case 22-327 (PAD). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances in the Pedro Rosario Nieves Public Housing Project and other areas in and around Fajardo, Puerto Rico, while also carrying firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Defendant was arrested on July 27, 2022. The Court set defendant’s sentencing date for Nov. 30, 2026. AUSA Corinne Cordero-Romo is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

Sentencings

  • On Aug. 18, 2026, Marino Johnson-Devers was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Camille Vélez-Rivé to a term of 120 months of imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on June 3, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-254 (CVR) and pleaded guilty on May 20, 2026. AUSA Antonio J. López-Rivera is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
  • On Aug. 18, 2026, Bienvenido Pelliecier Negrón was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge Francisco A. Besosa to 70 months of imprisonment and supervised release term of five years for conspiring to import into the United States 234 kilograms of cocaine. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on March 20, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-145 (FAB), and pleaded guilty on Aug. 26, 2025. AUSA Camille García Jiménez was in charge of the prosecution of the case.
  • On Aug. 18, 2026, Welkin A. González Pérez was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach to time served while detained pending trial and a one-year supervised release term for re-entry of removed alien. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on June 11,2026, in Criminal Case 26-253, and pleaded guilty on Aug. 18, 2026. SAUSA Cody A. McKinney is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
  • On Aug. 19, 2026, Héctor L. Derkes was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Pedro A. Delgado to 192 months (16 years) in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for coordinating the importation of large quantities of drugs from South America into Puerto Rico and the continental United States, as well as conspiring to launder the drug trafficking proceeds. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on Nov. 3, 2021, in Criminal Case 21-359, and pleaded guilty on June 9, 2026. AUSA Ricardo Imbert Fernández is in charge of the prosecution of the case. The case was previously handled by former AUSA Ryan McCabe.
  • On Aug. 20, 2026, Joshua Rivera-Cruz was sentenced by United States District Court Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán to nine (9) years of incarceration for his armed 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 Dec. 5, 2024, in Criminal Case 24-453 (MAJ), and pleaded guilty on May 13, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz González and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
  • On Aug. 20, 2026, Michael J. Rodríguez Cruz was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Silvia Carreño Coll to 48 months of imprisonment, to be served consecutively to a term of 96 months of imprisonment, and 6 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on June 11, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-272 (SCC) and pleaded guilty on April 28, 2026. Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr in charge of the prosecution of the case.

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.

IRS-CI is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. It is the only federal law enforcement agency with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code. IRS-CI has 16 field offices located across the U.S. and maintains an international presence through attaché posts abroad.