BOSTON - Five men were arrested and charged in federal court in Boston last week on wide-ranging cocaine distribution and money laundering charges.
1. Fabio Quijano, 55, of Winthrop, was indicted on money laundering conspiracy, money laundering, conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. According to court documents, Quijano laundered/attempted to launder over $335,000 in cocaine proceeds in 2018 and 2019;
2. Jairo Agudelo, 33, of Revere, was indicted on one count each of money laundering conspiracy and money laundering involving approximately $200,000 in cocaine proceeds in February 2019;
3. Juan Restrepo-Madrid, 39, a Colombian national residing in Everett, and Sebastian Arbelaez-Perez, 34, a Colombian national residing in Revere, were indicted for conspiracy to distribute and distributing cocaine in East Boston from August to September 2019; and
4. Jesus Arley Munera-Gomez, 33, a Colombian national residing in Revere, was charged with attempting to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. According to court documents, on Feb. 13, 2020, Munera-Gomez provided approximately $200,000 to undercover agents in exchange for 20 kilograms of sham cocaine.
This operation, dubbed “Operation Týr," was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
The charges of conspiracy/attempt to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine (applicable to Quijano and Munera-Gomez) provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine (applicable to Quijano) provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, a minimum of four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, and distribution of cocaine (applicable to Restrepo-Madrid and Arbelaez-Perez) provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charges of money laundering and money laundering conspiracy (applicable to Quijano and Agudelo) provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistance with the investigation was provided by Boston Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, Revere Police Department, Winthrop Police Department, Massachusetts National Guard, U.S. Marshals Service for the District of Massachusetts and Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement Removal Operations.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
