Twenty-five indicted in Erie-based drug trafficking ring

 

Date: May 13, 2022

Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov

Erie, PA — Twenty-five people - twenty residents of Erie, Pennsylvania, a resident of Meadville, Pennsylvania, a resident of New Jersey, a resident of Orlando, Florida, and two residents of Puerto Rico - have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.

The seven-count Indictment returned on May 10, 2022, and unsealed yesterday named:

  • Miguel Antonio Pabon Rivera of Erie, Pennsylvania;
  • Eric Suarez Robles of Orlando, Florida;
  • Victor Felix Ogando De Leon of San Juan, Puerto Rico;
  • Limarys Quiles Negron of Erie, Pennsylvania;
  • Pedro Rosado Ortiz of Erie, Pennsylvania;
  • Enrique Cotto of Vineland, New Jersey;
  • Maria Del Pilar Rivera of Erie, Pennsylvania;
  • Gloria Marie Robles Gonzalez of Manati, Puerto Rico;
  • Felix Jimenez Lopez of Erie, Pennsylvania;
  • Kechawn Jabre Douglas of Erie, Pennsylvania;
  • Vincent Andrew Feliciano of Erie, Pennsylvania;
  • Luis Anthony Lopez of Meadville, Pennsylvania;
  • Jamir Marcel Feliciano of Erie, Pennsylvania;
  • Alexander Feliciano of Erie, Pennsylvania;
  • Tymeen Deltuan Williams of Erie, Pennsylvania;
  • Peter Daniel Gambill, Jr. of Erie, Pennsylvania;
  • Dikwan Onnyx Plott of Erie, Pennsylvania;
  • Ashliannie Zayas Agosto of Erie, Pennsylvania;
  • William David Condon, Jr. of Erie, Pennsylvania;
  • Maurice Ali Fortune, Jr. of Erie, Pennsylvania;
  • Isaiah Jechaun Camp of Erie, Pennsylvania;
  • Dante Lashawn Husband of Erie, Pennsylvania;
  • Quincy Aaron McCloud of Erie, Pennsylvania;
  • Tina Marie Defoy of Erie, Pennsylvania; and
  • Shana Latrice Mathis of Erie, Pennsylvania.

According to the Indictment presented to the court, Miguel Rivera, Eric Suarez, Victor De Leon, and others engaged in an inter-territorial, multi-kilogram, cocaine distribution conspiracy that extended between the Western District of Pennsylvania, the Middle District of Florida, the District of Puerto Rico, and elsewhere from in and around January 2020 and continuing thereafter to in and around May 2022. From in and around February 2020, and continuing thereafter to in and around May 2022, Miguel Rivera and Eric Suarez engaged in interstate money laundering transactions intended to promote the conspiracy and conceal the proceeds of the conspiracy.

The Indictment further alleges that Kechawn Douglas, Vincent Feliciano, Luis Lopez, Jamir Feliciano, Tymeen Williams, and others engaged in a conspiracy to distribute multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, hundreds of grams of fentanyl, and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine within the Western District of Pennsylvania from in and around February 2022 and continuing thereafter to in or around May 2022. During this time, Vincent Feliciano and Luis Lopez traveled from Pennsylvania to Arizona to facilitate a business enterprise involving the distribution of illegal narcotics in Pennsylvania including four hundred grams or more of fentanyl. In addition, multiple defendants, to include Isaiah Camp, Dante Husband, Quincy McCloud, and Luis Lopez, were involved in the distribution of fifty grams or more of methamphetamine.

"These charges are the result of tremendous effort and collaboration among the FBI, and our law enforcement partners, including the City of Erie Police, the Pennsylvania State Police, United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service, Erie County District Attorney's Drug Taskforce, Erie County Detectives, and the Titusville, Millcreek, Oil City and Franklin Police Departments." said United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung. "The law-abiding, hard-working people of Erie deserve safe streets and peaceful neighborhoods. Through the collaboration of the agencies represented here today, we have dismantled a dangerous drug trafficking organization operating in Erie County."

"These arrests disrupted a criminal conspiracy that posed a tremendous threat to the city," said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. "Our message is clear- illegal drugs and the violence they often bring with them have no place in this community. I am extremely proud of the collaborative efforts put forth by the dedicated personnel of my office and the partners on the FBI's EAGLE Task Force. We are committed to working side by side with our state, local and federal partners to rid our communities of violent drug offenders and the destruction their activities create."

"The Pennsylvania State Police is always honored to cooperate in joint investigations with our municipal and federal partners," said Captain Kirk Reese of the Pennsylvania State Police Troop E. "We appreciate the support of the public as we interrupt their daily routines to seek justice and enforce the laws of the Commonwealth. We hope the arrests made in this investigation help to improve the quality of life for all."

"The Erie Police department is proud to work together with all our partnering agencies on this important investigation," said Erie Police Chief Daniel Spizarny Sr. "Taking down large drug organizations such as this one requires multiple resources that no one agency can do alone. Working together makes our community safe and secure."

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $10,000,000, or both for De Leon, Negron, Ortiz, Cotto, Maria Rivera, Gonzalez, Felix Lopez, Plott and Fortune; a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $10,500,000, or both for Miguel Rivera and Robles; a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $15,000,000, or both for Douglas; a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $10,010,000, or both for Jamir Feliciano and Gambill; a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $10,000, or both for Alexander Feliciano, Defoy and Mathis; a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $5,010,000, or both for Williams and Condon; a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $10,000,000 for Camp, Husband and McCloud; a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $15,260,000 for Vincent Feliciano; and a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $20,260,000 for both for Luis Lopez. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.

Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Erie Area Gang Law Enforcement (EAGLE), Safe Streets Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the FBI, the Erie Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Oil City Police Department, the Titusville Police Department, the Franklin Police Department, and the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case in coordination with the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Erie County Detectives, and the Millcreek Police Department.

The investigation was also conducted in association with the Northwest Pennsylvania Drug Initiative which was formed following Erie County's designation as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) in 2021. The HIDTA program was created by Congress in 1988 to coordinate and assist Federal, State, and Local law enforcement agencies in addressing regional drug threats with the purpose of reducing drug trafficking and drug production in the United States. The Northwest Pennsylvania Drug Initiative coordinates personnel and resources between multiple agencies including the Pennsylvania State Police, FBI, Erie Police Department, Erie County District Attorney's office, Erie County Detectives, United States Postal Inspection Service, the EAGLE Task Force, and other participating agencies.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.