United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced that Emmanuel Rodriguez-Rodriguez, a 33-year-old from Puerto Rico, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. The plea was entered before United States Magistrate G. Alan Teague. Rodriguez-Rodriguez was among several individuals indicted for their involvement in a cocaine smuggling operation on December 11, 2021, between St. Thomas and Culebra, Puerto Rico.

The indictment also includes Jose Torres-Russi, Ben Carrasquillosanto, Jose Martes-Gonzalez, Wilfredo Vazquez-Lopez, Jonathan Fernandez Montesino, Esteban Borrome Diaz, Smarling Villilo De Los Santo, and Guillermo Morales. If convicted, the defendants face sentences ranging from a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Court records reveal that Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations officers observed four jet skis traveling from Culebra towards Mermaid’s Chair Beach at Botany Bay in St. Thomas on the day of the operation. Four individuals were waiting at the beach as duffle bags were loaded onto the jet skis before they departed back towards Culebra. A red Jeep Wrangler was noted as the only vehicle present during this transaction.

As officers pursued the jet skis towards Culebra, one operator abandoned his vehicle and fled on foot but left behind a duffle bag containing 26 kilograms of cocaine. Officers later apprehended Torres-Russi, Carrasquillosanto, and Martes-Gonzalez operating the jet skis. The remaining six defendants were captured by federal agents as they attempted to leave Botany Bay in St. Thomas in their vehicle where two Glock pistols were found during their arrest.

The investigation was conducted by Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations alongside the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Payne is prosecuting this case as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States through a coordinated multi-agency approach.

Further details about OCDETF can be accessed at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.