At a news conference in Philadelphia, U.S. Attorney David Metcalf announced the indictment of 33 alleged members of the Weymouth Street Drug Trafficking Organization, accused of distributing fentanyl, heroin, crack cocaine, and cocaine in the Kensington neighborhood. The indictment includes conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and related offenses.
The case was presented with FBI Director Kash Patel, FBI Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs, and Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel. Federal and state law enforcement partners also assisted.
According to the indictment, from January 2016 through October 2025, the Weymouth DTO operated primarily on the 3100 block of Weymouth Street—described as one of Philadelphia’s most active drug markets—and expanded its operations to other nearby locations. The organization is accused of using violence to protect its territory and retaliate against witnesses or rival groups.
Jose Antonio Morales Nieves, known as “Flaco,” from Luquillo, Puerto Rico, is identified as the leader who authorized drug sales on his block in exchange for rent and allegedly protected members through threats or acts of violence. Ramon Roman-Montanez (“Viejo”) and Nancy Rios-Valentin are named as leaders responsible for managing street-level operations and proceeds.
Twenty-four defendants were arrested during coordinated operations; eight were already in custody; one remains at large.
“Drug traffickers who poison our communities and enforce their territory through violence will face the full force of federal law,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Working alongside our state and local partners, the Department of Justice will continue to dismantle these criminal networks, hold violent offenders accountable, and restore safety to neighborhoods that have suffered for far too long. I want to thank U.S. Attorney Metcalf, the FBI, and every prosecutor and agent whose dedication made today’s action possible.”
“This indictment is, by defendant, the largest federal case of this century prosecuted by our office and it attacks the very heart of the opioid crisis in the neighborhoods of Kensington,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “We are committed to returning these neighborhoods to their residents and reclaiming them from drug dealers who profit from the misery of others.”
“Today, even more criminals are off the streets because of the diligent work of the FBI and our partners,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Over 30 people have been charged for their alleged role in drug trafficking and dozens of other offenses. These individuals were charged with distributing fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine on one of the most prolific drug blocks in Philadelphia. They were members of a violent drug trafficking organization and used violence to enforce their territory and sell drugs that poison our city streets and community. The FBI will continue our work to put an end to drug trafficking and violence in our cities.”
“There is no question our streets are safer today because of the tireless dedication and diligence of numerous federal, state, and local partners, but our work is not done,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The FBI, alongside our law enforcement partners at every level, will continue to serve our citizens by pursuing the dangerous offenders who shatter our communities’ sense of safety, security, and quality of life.”
“Today’s actions were the culmination of a deliberate, patient, and highly coordinated investigation into a violent criminal enterprise operating on and around Weymouth Street in Kensington,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel. “This group pumped fentanyl into a community already hurting, and they used violence to protect their business. Thank you to our state and federal partners who continue to show up in Philadelphia not as visitors but as teammates: FBI Director Patel, U.S. Attorney Metcalf, FBI Philly SAC Jacobs and his team, the DEA, the Attorney General’s Office, and to our own DC Jim Kelly and the men and women of the Philadelphia Police Department's Narcotics Bureau who did the hard work to get us here. This is One Philly in action - exactly the model Mayor Parker has demanded from day one: not turf battles, not silos but agencies standing shoulder-to-shoulder around a single mission: protecting the people of this city.”
The prosecution stems from PSN Recon—a program started this year by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Eastern District Pennsylvania—which brings together federal-state resources targeting violent actors across Philadelphia neighborhoods.
The investigation was led by the FBI along with the Philadelphia Police Department, with support from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Pennsylvania’s Office of Attorney General.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
