Josh Kaul
Press Release

AG Kaul Announces DCI Investigation Leads to Cocaine, Heroin and Fentanyl Trafficking Charges Against 26 People

 

By - Jan 16th, 2020 09:51 am

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul today joined a coalition of law enforcement agencies in announcing the charging of a significant cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl trafficking operation between Puerto Rico and Milwaukee. The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Matthew D. Krueger, has charged 26 individuals with trafficking at least five kilograms or more of cocaine as well as distributable quantities of trafficking heroin and fentanyl.

“This case shows the impact that intensive investigations targeting large-scale drug trafficking can have,” said Attorney General Kaul. “When local, state, and federal investigators work together, as they have in this case, we can disrupt the supply of narcotics to Wisconsin and help people avoid addiction. Thank you to the brave law enforcement professionals at DCI and other agencies who have worked on this case.”

Yesterday, federal, state, and local law enforcement officers arrested 22 of these defendants. The officers also executed search warrants in both Milwaukee and Puerto Rico resulting in the seizure of approximately 15 kilograms of cocaine, at least 50 grams of heroin, at least 80 grams of crack cocaine, 35 firearms (25 handguns, 8 rifles, 1 fully automatic handgun, and 1 sawed off shotgun) and approximately $267,000 in U.S. currency.

The defendants charged in this law enforcement action, called Operation Island Hopper, are:

Name Age Residence
Jose GONZALEZ-COLLADO 28 Milwaukee
Hector Yamil RODRIGUEZ-RODRIGUEZ 28 Milwaukee
Marcos APONTE-LEBRON 40 Milwaukee
Vladimir RODRIGUEZ-RODRIGUEZ 25 Milwaukee
Steven CORTES-IRIZARRY 38 Milwaukee
Kevin TORRES-BONILLA 29 Milwaukee
Andros MARTINEZ-PELLOT 30 Milwaukee
Eric ROSA 32 Milwaukee
Kadeja LEWIS 29 Milwaukee
Yadier ROSARIO 23 Milwaukee
Julio RIVERA-RAMIREZ 51 Milwaukee
Rafael RIVERA-QUINONES 34 Milwaukee
Ricardo BONILLA 48 Milwaukee
Jose BURGOS-RIVERA 42 Milwaukee
Jomar LABOY-SILVA 27 Milwaukee
Enid MARTINEZ 32 Milwaukee
Alexander MORALES-RIVERA 27 Milwaukee
Wilberto SANTIAGO-MARTINEZ 38 Milwaukee
Julio SEDA-MARTINEZ 39 Milwaukee
Jose M. AVILES-GONZALEZ 25 Milwaukee
David QUINONES-QUINONES 48 Puerto Rico
David Joel QUINONES-RIOS 29 Puerto Rico
Roberto ORENCH-FELICIANO 27 Puerto Rico
Carlos Omar CONCEPCION-RIVERA 31 Puerto Rico
Yashira Jehovalis CORTES-NIEVES 24 Puerto Rico
Keishla M. ORENCH-FELICIANO 27 Puerto Rico

 

The defendants were charged based on a multi-year investigation led by law enforcement agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the North Central High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Milwaukee Police Department, and the City of New Berlin Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Brady and Gail Hoffman.

The public is cautioned that an indictment is merely a charge and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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