The Orlando-based leader of a fentanyl and cocaine distribution syndicate has been sentenced to 40 years in prison, just months after over 100 kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl were seized from he and his co-conspirators, 20 of which were found in a Baldwin Park apartment.
Carlos Roman, 57, was sentenced to spend the next 40 years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton Jr. of the Middle District of Florida on Wednesday, March 15. In addition to Roman, three other individuals who conspired to distribute fentanyl and cocaine with Roman were also sentenced.
That includes 31-year-old Kenneth Angel Vera, who was sentenced to 27 months behind bars, and Joely Manuel Burgos, who was sentenced to 51 months. Both of those men are also from Orlando.
The men all pled guilty to charges in December 2022.
Through the duration of “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.
Those logos were found on the packages that were seized by police.
Last October, police seized approximately 20 kilograms of cocaine from an apartment in Baldwin Park.
Roman, who supplied the cocaine and fentanyl to the other conspirators, was arrested at his home in August 2022 with 19 firearms, 6 silencers, 3 flash-bang grenades, and thousands of rounds of ammunition in his possession.
Additionally, two dozen cell phones and nearly $125,000 in cash were seized during one of the arrests made in October.
In total, sixteen individuals have been sentenced or are awaiting sentences: 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.
“Illicit fentanyl is highly addictive and incredibly destructive. The individuals who bring this poison into our communities must be held accountable for their actions,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “The success of this investigation is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of these investigators as well as the cooperation and collaboration between DEA and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners.”
Operation Titan Fall is a multi-agency Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCEDTF) investigation. Multiple local police agencies across Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties aided in the operation. 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.