United States Attorney

Southern District of

New York

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OCTOBER 15, 2010

CONTACT: U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE

ELLEN DAVIS,

EDELI RIVERA,

JESSIE ERWIN

PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE

(212) 637-2600

NY SNP

KATI CORNELL

(212) 815-0525

MANHATTAN U.S. ATTORNEY CHARGES 50 MEMBERS

OF MASSIVE MARIJUANA TRAFFICKING RING

ICE HSI Leads Coordinated, Multi-Agency Law Enforcement Strike

That Shuts Down Pipeline For Ton-Quantities

Of Marijuana Into New York City

Southern District of New York, JAMES T. HAYES, JR., the Special

Agent-in-Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Office of Homeland Security Investigations in New York ("ICE

HSI"), JOHN P. GILBRIDE, the Special-Agent-in-Charge of the New

ten individuals and a Complaint charging 40 individuals with

participating in a massive marijuana trafficking ring that

transported ton-quantities of marijuana from Florida and

California for distribution in the greater New York area from the

early 1990's to 2010.

today's arrests, we have successfully shut down a major pipeline

for marijuana distribution in New York City. This successful

operation was the result of a dedicated and ongoing partnership

among federal, state, and local law enforcement and reaffirms our

organizations relied on each other to expand their illicit

business and fuel the growth of their drug distribution network,

ICE HSI will continue to partner with our federal, state and

local law enforcement brethren to cripple those same networks."

"Operation Green Venom was investigated and prosecuted as a team

effort by federal, state, and local law enforcement entities.

This organization fueled marijuana distribution from Florida to

New York for one reason - to make a profit. Today's enforcement

actions prove that as we work collectively with our law

trafficking in hydroponic marijuana has become the province of

large organized criminal groups concerned only with profits. The

interagency cooperation demonstrated in this case increasingly

will be necessary to successfully prosecute organizations of this

kind."

using New York City in drug trafficking operations will face a

concerted law enforcement response resulting in arrest and

prosecution. DOI was pleased to join with its law enforcement

partners on this far-reaching investigation."

over 360 pounds of marijuana have been linked to this

organization.

officers, 45 of the charged defendants are in custody. Five

loaded handgun.

described in greater detail below.

GEOVANNY RODRIGUEZ-PEREZ, a/k/a "Manny," a/k/a "Shorty," is the

leader of the marijuana-trafficking conspiracy. The Indictment

over the wiretaps discussing violent acts, including his threat

to "hunt" a customer who was late paying for marijuana. The

Indictment also charges marijuana "brokers" who assembled

marijuana in Florida for transportation to New York and

elsewhere, individuals who provided access to transportation for

the brokers, and the drivers who transported the marijuana.

from which marijuana and/or marijuana proceeds were seized, and

at least seven separate properties owned by RODRIGUEZ in New York

founders of Roc-A-Fella Records, MATTHEW WOODSTOCK STANG, a/k/a

"Magazine Guy," an advertising representative for High Times

magazine, and members of three separate "cells." While the three

separate cells independently controlled areas where marijuana was

sold, they depended on each other, and on the same transportation

network, for the distribution of the marijuana they sold to

customers in New York and New Jersey.

During the course of the investigation, law enforcement

agents discovered the following:

• Members of the cells accessed a location that was later

* * *

Office for the Southern District of New York, four defendants are

also being charged by the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the

City of New York ("SNP") with violating New York State marijuana

trafficking laws.

of ICE HSI, DEA, the New York City Police Department, DOI, the

investigation is continuing.

Green Venom" is being overseen by the Office's Narcotics Unit,

with assistance from the Violent Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S.

Attorneys AMIE N. ELY, DANIEL P. CHUNG, and SARAH E. MCCALLUM are

in charge of the prosecution. Assistant U.S. Attorney MICHAEL D.

LOCKARD of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Unit is responsible for

the forfeiture.

Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed

ALFONSO GARCIA

ARIEL PENA

EMMANUEL RAMIREZ

CHRISTOPHER VIZCAINO,

imprisonment,

of 10 years in

prison

ERICK FULGENCIO NUNEZ

JOSE RAMON PEREZ

LETICIA RAPOSO

imprisonment,

mandatory minimum

of 10 years in

prison

Defendant Residence

KAREEM BURKE NORTH BERGEN, NEW JERSEY

JENNY CASTILLO NEW YORK, NEW YORK

ROSEMARY DEJESUS BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

WILLIAM ALCIBIO DELGADO BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

EDGAR ENCARNACION-LAFONTAINE NEW YORK, NEW YORK

ALFONSO GARCIA BRONX, NEW YORK

KLEVI GUTIERREZ BRONX, NEW YORK

EDWING ALBERTO HERRERA DORAL, FLORIDA

ISIDRO ESMELIN HERRERA BRONX, NEW YORK

MICHAEL MARTINEZ BRONX, NEW YORK

ROBERT MARTINEZ BRONX, NEW YORK

ABEL MATOS BRONX, NEW YORK

NELSON AUGUSTO MATOS NEW YORK, NEW YORK

FRANKLIN MANUEL PACHECO-VALDEZ NEW YORK, NEW YORK

DEYANIRA PAULINO-GOMEZ WHITESTONE, NEW YORK

ARIEL PENA NEW YORK, NEW YORK

JOSE RAMON PEREZ MIAMI, FLORIDA

LEODIS PEREZ NEW YORK, NEW YORK

JOSE A. RODRIGUEZ BRONX, NEW YORK

OSCAR RODRIGUEZ BRONX, NEW YORK

ANDRES ROJAS NEW YORK, NEW YORK

MATTHEW SANTIAGO NEW YORK, NEW YORK

MATTHEW WOODSTOCK STANG NEW YORK, NEW YORK

JEROME SIMPSON JAMAICA, NEW YORK

DANIEL VALDEZ BRONX, NEW YORK

CHRISTOPHER VIZCAINO NEW YORK, NEW YORK