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 24 through August 28, 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 25, 2026, David A. Isaac-Febus, a.k.a. “Durant/Davicito,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking in Criminal Case 24-453 (MAJ). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with participating in a drug trafficking organization that worked out of various public housing projects in the Carolina and San Juan municipalities, including the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project. Defendant was arrested on December 13, 2024. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for December 8, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz González and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
On August 26, 2026, Christopher Casiano-López 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 December 2, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
On August 26, 2026, José M. Nieves-Caraballo 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. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for December 2, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
On August 27, 2026, Lázaro Escalera-Colón 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. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for December 2, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
On August 28, 2026, Estephanie Torres-Bosa pleaded guilty to Count One in Criminal Case 25-306 (CVR). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess 5 kilograms or more of cocaine with intent to distribute. Defendant was arrested on July 15, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for November 30, 2026. AUSA Antonio López is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
On August 28, 2026, César Escalante-Lizarazo pleaded guilty to count one in Criminal Case 21-317 (PAD). According to the superseding indictment, the defendant was charged for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Defendant was arrested in Colombia and extradited on March 7, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for December 11, 2026. AUSA Camille García Jiménez is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
Sentencings:
On August 24, 2026, Carlos Jadriel Rivera-León, a.k.a. “Hulk/Carlitos Hulk,” was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gina Méndez-Miró to 10 years of imprisonment to be followed by eight years of supervised release for participating in a drug trafficking organization that operated in and around the Manatí area, and principally out of the Enrique Zorilla Public Housing Project. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on September 20, 2023, in Criminal Case 23-353 (GMM), and pleaded guilty on May 11, 2026. AUSAs Joseph Russell and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
On August 26, 2026, Jazhiel Ocasio-Herrera, a.k.a. “BV” was sentenced by United States District Court Judge María Angongiorgi-Jordán to 12 years of imprisonment to be followed by eight years of supervised release for his participation in a violent 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 27, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz González and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
On August 26, 2026, Yander C. Santos-Ramos, a.k.a. “Mingui,” was sentenced by United States District Court Judge María Angongiorgi-Jordán to 78 months of imprisonment to be followed by eight years of supervised release for his participation in a violent 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 27, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz González and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
On August 27, 2026, Keily Maisonet Ortiz was sentenced by United States District Court Judge María Antongiorgi Jordan to two years of probation for conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, and marriage fraud – aiding and abetting. According to the indictment, U.S. Citizen, Maisonet, knowingly combined, conspired, and agreed with an Uzbekistan national to enter into a marriage for the purpose of evading any provision of the immigration laws of the United States, and aided and abetted in doing so. Defendant was indicted on June 5, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-267 (MAJ) and pleaded guilty on May 28, 2026. AUSA Emelina Agrait is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
On August 28, 2026, Manuel O. Robles Osorio, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Pedro A. Delgado to 87 months of imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on July 20, 2022, in Criminal Case 22-327 (PAD) and pleaded guilty on June 5, 2026. AUSA Corinne Cordero is 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.
