Hayden O’Byrne United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida | The Florida Bar
A federal judge in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, has sentenced Mario Clifford Rivera, also known as “Chuky,” a member of the MS-13 gang, to 210 months in prison. Rivera led a transnational fentanyl distribution operation while in state prison. This operation involved smuggling fentanyl from Mexico into the U.S. via the postal service, entering California before being sent to Florida for further distribution.
Rivera, 32, engaged in drug trafficking from at least 2022, continuing even after entering state prison in 2023 for previous criminal offenses. He used prison phones and contraband cell phones to direct his drug trafficking organization from behind bars.
Rivera faced charges related to the distribution of over three kilograms of fentanyl. Upon pleading guilty, he received his sentence, which will start following the completion of his current state prison term.
“Rivera’s 17-year federal prison sentence should serve as a warning to MS-13 and other terrorist gangs who seek to flood our communities with deadly poisons like fentanyl,” stated U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rinku Tribuiani headed the prosecution for this case. The investigation involved multiple agencies, including FBI Miami, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Miami Division, DEA Miami Field Division, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami Field Division, alongside the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
“The safety of South Florida communities is our top priority,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami. He commended the partnerships that contributed significantly to this case.
Acting Inspector in Charge Steven L. Hodges from USPIS Miami stressed the importance of ensuring the postal service is not exploited for drug trafficking.
DEA Miami Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter emphasized the continued efforts to remove gang members from the streets, while HSI Miami’s acting Special Agent in Charge Jose Figueroa highlighted the focus on dismantling transnational criminal organizations.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at combatting illegal immigration, cartel activities, and other transnational criminal organizations. It also aligns with the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operations, which target significant criminal enterprises in the United States.
Further information can be accessed on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. Related court documents and updates are available on the district court’s website under case number 24-cr-80140.
