A Deltona man is facing multiple felony charges for taking part in drug trafficking and car theft rings in which he and fellow conspirators allegedly stole high-end vehicles and sold them to unsuspecting individuals.
Jose Santiago, 41, was taken into custody on a federal arrest warrant for conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl, according to a statement issued by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
In February, Deltona Police Department detectives, narcotics enforcement team, and SWAT members executed a search warrant at 1952 English Drive in Deltona in reference to a car theft ring that was operating as far north as New York and as far south as Miami.
Police say that members of the ring, including Santiago, were using stolen identities and fake documents to steal luxury vehicles from legitimate dealerships and private rental agencies.
After stealing the vehicles, the group would strip them of their VIN numbers, assign fake VIN numbers, and then sell or rent the vehicles to unsuspecting individuals.
Through their investigation, law enforcement authorities uncovered electronic communications revealing the group was also responsible for trafficking drugs. Two of the suspects had pending indictments from the Drug Enforcement Administration in New York for trafficking large quantities of fentanyl, according to police.
A collection of evidence was seized from the residence at 1952 English Drive, including a 2021 Mercedes GLE 350, a 2017 Maserati Ghibli, a 2021 BMW M4, a Yamaha ATV with a filed-off VIN number, and forged vehicle documents.
In addition to the vehicles, police recovered nearly 36grams of powdered fentanyl, 10 fentanyl pills, 54 Alprazolam pills, 45 Suboxone strips, over 400 grams of marijuana, and $35,600 in cash.
Santiago was booked into the Volusia County Jail on Wednesday, April 26. He faces multiple charges, including trafficking in fentanyl, grand theft, and possession of a vehicle with an altered vin number, among others.