Orlando Rodriguez-Roman, a 43-year-old resident of Goshen, Indiana, has been sentenced to 180 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release. The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after a jury found Rodriguez-Roman guilty on charges that included attempted possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and unlawful possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, federal agents intercepted a package addressed to a residence in Goshen containing over 1,000 grams of cocaine. Agents removed the drugs from the package before delivering it to its intended destination. Rodriguez-Roman later took possession of the package and combined its contents with additional amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine inside a garbage bag.
Law enforcement officers moved in as Rodriguez-Roman was leaving his home. He fled in his vehicle, leading police on a high-speed chase through a residential neighborhood. During the pursuit, he discarded the trash bag containing the drugs out of his car window. After apprehending him, police searched his residence and discovered a loaded handgun, three rifle magazines loaded with nearly 80 rounds of ammunition, and other materials used for packaging and storing narcotics.
The investigation involved several agencies: the United States Postal Inspection Service (including USPS Forensic Laboratory Services), the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Local support came from the Elkhart County Intelligence and Covert Enforcement Unit as well as the Elkhart County Prosecutor’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Lydia T. Lucius and Katelan McKenzie Doyle prosecuted the case.
Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor stated: "This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results."
