TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution announced the shutdown of a fentanyl trafficking ring. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested 64 individuals involved in the trafficking organization, and Attorney General Moody’s Statewide Prosecutors are charging nine of the defendants with felony counts of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO), conspiracy to commit RICO, and fentanyl trafficking among other charges. The group, led by Hector Torres, Miguel Castro-Rivera, and Luis Delgado, sold fentanyl throughout Polk and Osceola counties. The investigation uncovered that most transactions originated from two businesses—a fish-and-bait shop and a motorcycle shop—owned by two of the ring’s conspirators. Authorities seized 742 grams of fentanyl during the investigation, enough to potentially kill 371,000 Floridians.
Attorney General Ashley Moody stated, “Florida leads the nation in fentanyl seizures, and this case is yet another example of how Sheriff Grady Judd and his deputies are leaders in helping us remove deadly drugs from our streets. Working with Polk County deputies and FDLE, we were able to seize 742 grams of fentanyl in two counties. That is enough poison to kill 371,000 Floridians, and I have no doubt that this drug-interdiction operation saved lives.”
According to the PCSO investigation, Torres, Castro-Rivera, Delgado, along with co-conspirators Pilar Rivera, Wilma Fuentes Laureano, Norberto Otero Jr., Luis Lopez Torres, Abel Flores and Jeimylee Rivera sold fentanyl in Polk and Osceola counties. The group generally sold small quantities of the substance to avoid detection by authorities. They employed countersurveillance techniques such as cameras outside residences and businesses, multiple cellphones, and changing drug deal locations when possible. In addition to 742 grams of fentanyl seized during the operation authorities also confiscated more than 3,500 grams of cocaine; 13 grams of methamphetamine; 57 grams of oxycodone; and over 228 grams of marijuana.
Attorney General Moody’s Statewide Prosecutors charged Torres Castro-Rivera Delgado with RICO a first-degree felony All defendants except Flores are charged with conspiracy to RICO a first-degree felony Rivera Delgado Fuentes additionally charged with trafficking in fentanyl a first-degree felony Flores is charged with sale of fentanyl a second-degree felony
Attorney General Moody’s OSP will prosecute the nine defendants' cases while remaining single-judicial circuit cases will be handled by local state attorney.
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