Sixteen individuals are awaiting sentencing for their roles in distributing 100 kilograms of cocaine, 20 kilograms of which were seized from an apartment in Baldwin Park.

On Friday, February 10, United States Middle District of Florida Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced that sixteen individuals, charged in three separate indictments, have all pled guilty to their respective roles in conspiring to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl and cocaine.

During the course of their investigation, entitled “Operation Titan Fall,” Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized approximately 110 kilograms of cocaine and multiple kilograms of fentanyl through the mail, traffic stops, and search warrants at various properties.

The DEA estimates that 91 kilograms of cocaine were seized through the mail and traffic stops initiated during the investigation. Authorities say that intercepted communications frequently made reference to the drug ring’s “brands” or “logos”: A blue anchor and a Ferrari.

Branded cocaine that was seized during Operation Titan Fall by the DEA and Central Florida police agencies
Branded cocaine that was seized during Operation Titan Fall by the DEA and Central Florida police agencies

Those logos were found on the packages that were seized by police.

In October 2022, police seized approximately 20 kilograms of cocaine at a conspirator’s apartment in Baldwin Park. One of the other conspirators was arrested at his home in August with 19 firearms, 6 silencers, 3 flash-bang grenades, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Additionally, two dozen cell phones and nearly $125,000 in cash were seized during one of the arrests made in October.

124598 seized during Operation Titan Fall
$124,598 was seized as part of a series of seizures of drugs, weapons, and cash during Operation Titan Fall

The sixteen conspirators who will face sentencing are Alexander Acosta-Zapata, Frank Cadiz, Adal Antonio Navas-Feliciano, Jonathan Andres Marte-Rodriguez, Juan Felipe Sanchez, Nimesh Rashmikant Patel, Joseph Juan Torres-Torres, Gabriel Issac Irizarry-Aponte, Jacob Nelson, Carlos Alberto Roman, James Richard Howell, Joely Manuel Burgos, Kenneth Angel Vera, James Mirabal, Jonathan Beharry, and Vilnarie Figueroa-Matos.

All of the individuals are facing at least five years in prison, with many facing at least 10 years in prison and up to the possibility of life.

Operation Titan Fall is a multi-agency Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCEDTF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.