20 Nabbed in Heroin, Fentanyl Trafficking Ring; Used Car Dealership Used as Front: DOJ

BOSTON, MA – Twenty are facing charges for trafficking heroin, fentanyl and cocaine Wednesday after a series of arrests and searches turned up heroin, guns, a half-million dollars in cash, luxury cars and Rolex watches.

The trafficking operations stretched from Mexico and the Dominican Republican to the Boston area and Providence, Rhode Island, according to the Department of Justice.

It's the culmination of an investigation that began this February, with Deiby Victoria and his associates allegedly at its center.

Victoria allegedly led a wholesale drug distribution organization that imported large quantities of heroin, fentanyl and cocaine from Mexico and the Dominican Republic into the U.S. They were the distribution center, rather than selling directly to users, federal officials allege.

Those DOJ officials say Victoria distributed drugs through couriers and stash houses, as well as through more "novel techniques," including using a used car business as a distribution front in Dorchester.

According to the DOJ press release, "The members of the organization collected payments and then directed drug buyers to the cars in which the drugs were hidden. The business and the used cars were seized earlier today."

Additionally, the operation allegedly utilized international money launderers, including Victoria's brother-in-law. Federal officials also reportedly intercepted multiple couriers in the act of delivering drugs or collecting on debts.

The federal charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $1 million.

A full list of defendants is included below:

1) Deiby Victoria;

2) Starling Bladmil Gonzalez, a/k/a “Bladi;”

3) Domingo Depena Vega;

4) Isidro Perez Montero;

5) Charles Torres, a/k/a Daniel Bautista, a/k/a “Leo;”

6) Ramon Arias, a/k/a “Mon;”

7) Vinicio Baez;

8) Julio Diaz, a/k/a “Alex Menan;”

9) Jefferson Rodrigzuez;

10) Jesus Sepulveda, a/k/a “Juan Carlos;”

11) Santo Santana, a/k/a “El Viejo;”

12) Jose Alamo, a/k/a “Necio;”

13) Gilberto Torres, a/k/a “Julian;”

14) Wellington Osnel Soto Aguasviva;

15) Friman Gonzalez, a/k/a “Gordo;”

16) Johan Montanez Pizzaro, a/k/a “Rubio;”

17) Felix Salas Diaz;

18) Amable Diaz, a/k/a “Nene;”

19) Wilfredo Santana, a/k/a “Menor;” and

20) Hamlet Mendez Nova, a/k/a “Janle”

The following defendants were charged in two related indictments with conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute heroin:

1) Angela Cordero, of New York, NY (fugitive); and

2) Carlos Cuevas, residence unknown (fugitive)

The following defendant was charged in a state criminal complaint with trafficking in 200 grams or more of cocaine:

1) Euclides H. Lopes, of Lynn. Lopes was arraigned in Lynn District Court this afternoon and was held on $100,000 cash bail.

Image via DOJ