In a hefty crackdown on drug trafficking, two men have been handed a five-year jail term by a federal court for their involvement in a cocaine distribution network. Luis Mattei-Albizu, 42, of Columbus, Ohio, and Jossian Ayala-Ruberte, 43, of Kissimmee, Florida, also face four years of supervised release post their prison time.
The duo was convicted of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, as United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan disclosed. The case was presided over by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan who underscored the offenses' gravity as he imposed the sentences on the co-conspirators, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Pennsylvania.
Findings presented in court detailed how the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted a thorough inquiry into a cocaine and fentanyl trafficking outfit that spanned several states, including Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and as far as Puerto Rico. Starting December 2019 through August 2020, a Title III wiretap investigation was green-lit, which picked up on Mattei-Albizu and Ayala-Ruberte overseeing drug shipments via mail for further distribution.
Federal agents were able to intercept not just communications, but also seize a cache of illegal narcotics—ranging from cocaine and heroin to methamphetamine and marijuana. Additionally, firearms and a substantial sum of laundered cash were among the confiscations. According to a U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Pennsylvania, Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo led the prosecution of this high-profile case.
United States Attorney Olshan lauded the collaborative effort of multiple law enforcement agencies, including the DEA units in Pittsburgh, Columbus, and Harrisburg; Homeland Security Investigations; the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations; United States Postal Service; Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; Lawrence County Drug Task Force–Special Investigations Unit; and the New Castle Police Department for their pivotal role in the investigation and subsequent prosecution. The successful enforcement action was part of an overarching Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation aimed at dismantling complex drug trafficking rings jeopardizing American communities.
