Hayden O’Byrne United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida | The Florida Bar
Ramon Manriquez Castillo, Edgar Rodriguez Ruano, Fernando Javier Escobar Tito, and Anderson Jair Gamboa Nieto appeared in a federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on drug trafficking charges. These individuals were surrendered to the United States by the Republic of Guinea-Bissau on April 16. A federal grand jury indictment, unsealed today, charges them with conspiracy to distribute large quantities of cocaine through various countries, including Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, the Bahamas, and Guinea-Bissau, utilizing a U.S.-registered airplane.
In September 2024, authorities in Guinea-Bissau apprehended the defendants and seized 2.6 metric tons of cocaine. The surrender results from ongoing collaboration between Guinea-Bissau's government and several U.S. agencies including the DEA, FBI, the Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs, and the U.S. Embassy to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau. The defendants made their initial court appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hunt in the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, they face sentences ranging from 10 years to life in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, along with DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter, and FBI Washington Field Office Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan, disclosed the information. The DEA Miami and FBI Washington Field Office are conducting the investigation, with the U.S. Marshals Service assisting in the surrender process. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Ustynoski is leading the prosecution.
This case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which targets high-level criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-focused approach. Additional OCDETF Program details can be found on the Department of Justice's website.
The case also falls under Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels, and tackle transnational crime.
"An indictment is merely an allegation, and defendants are innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law."
Further information and documents related to the case are available on the websites of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and the District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
