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 October 19 through October 23, 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 October 22, 2026, Steven Nieves-Ríos pleaded guilty to violating 21 U.S.C. §§ 952(a), 960(a)(1), (b)(1)(B)(ii), and 963, and 8 U.S.C. §§ 1324(a)(1)(A)(i), (a)(1)(A)(v)(I), and (a)(1)(B)(i) in Criminal Case 25-393 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to import 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and conspiracy to illegally bring in aliens. Defendant was arrested on September 12, 2025. SAUSA Cody McKinney in charge of the prosecution of the case. On October 23, 2026, Julio Jeury Tejada Contreras pleaded guilty to violating 21 U.S.C. §§ 963, 952(a), and 960(b)(1)(B)(ii), 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A), and 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a) in Criminal Case 26-265 (CVR). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to import 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and attempted reentry of a previously removed alien. Defendant was arrested on June 11, 2026. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for January 25, 2026. SAUSA Cody McKinney in charge of the prosecution of the case. On October 23, 2026, José Ayala-Rivera pleaded guilty to Count one in Criminal Case 26-143 (GMM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with Conspiracy to Receive, Transfer and/or send Firearms via a Common Carrier without Written Notice in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. Defendant was arrested on April 30, 2026. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for January 25, 2027. On October 23, 2026, Joselin A. Méndez-De Jesús pleaded guilty to a violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a) and (b)(1) in Criminal Case No. 26-343 (SCC) and was sentenced to time served by United States District Court Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll. According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with an illegal re-entry offense and was found in the United States after being previously removed from the United States subsequent to a felony conviction. Sentencings:
On October 20, 2026, Sergio Ramírez-Payano was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gina Méndez-Miró to 12 months of incarceration for possessing a machinegun. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on 2 October 2025, in Criminal Case 25-409 (GMM), and pleaded guilty on July 21, 2026. AUSA Joseph Russell is in charge of the prosecution of the case. On October 22, 2026, Yanzie Vázquez-González was sentenced by United States District Court Silvia Carreño Coll to 204 months (17 years) of imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on June 10, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-272 (SCC) and pleaded guilty on July 22, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Andres Orr in charge of the prosecution of the case. On October 23, 2026, Carlos Gutiérrez-Santana was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Camille Vélez-Rivé to a term of imprisonment of 120 months (10 years) and five years of supervised release for a federal drug trafficking violation. According to court documents, a superseding indictment was filed against the defendant on February 18, 2026, in Criminal Case 25-462 (CVR), and pleaded guilty on July 21, 2026. AUSAs Antonio Pérez and Myriam Fernández are 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.
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Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Puerto Rico — U.S. Department of Justice press release.