A sweeping indictment has charged 12 individuals across Central Florida, Puerto Rico, and South Carolina with serious federal offenses including murder, drug trafficking, money laundering, and firearms violations, according to an announcement from United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg. The U.S. Attorney's Office states that the operation involved trafficking cocaine and fentanyl, with the drug sales fueling a cycle of retaliation and violence that culminated in a cold-blooded murder.
The allegations detail a multi-year conspiracy where operatives trafficked narcotics and carried out a murder as part of the illicit enterprise on August 3, 2021, the latter a vengeful act against an individual at a stash house. Almodovar is accused of executing a figure involved in the death of one of the organization's lookouts with a bullet to the back of the head. The investigation uncovered schemes to launder the proceeds through real estate transactions and government loan fraud. Evidence presented in the indictments suggests the acquisition of properties was often done under false pretenses, with accused individuals like Limery Dones and Franco, Flores Morales, and Contreras allegedly manipulating banking and lending systems to disguise the source of their funding — the drug trade — these maneuvers included the manipulation of mortgage applications and the misuse of federal aid programs like the Paycheck Protection Program to bolster their financial front.
The extensive investigation, spanning various agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation, reveals a pattern of organized crime activities that sought to camouflage illegal dealings within the veneer of legitimate commerce. While the indictments represent only formal accusations at this stage, with the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, the strength of the multi-agency effort reflects a concerted push to disrupt criminal enterprises dealing in narcotics and financial deception.
Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Baeza and Michael Buchanan are leading the prosecution of this case, which falls under the prosecutorial umbrella of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. The OCDETF's primary mission is to dismantle the operations of high-level drug traffickers and money launderers, gangs, and transnational offenders and this prosecution represents a significant strike against such networks, according to official sources. With over $6.5 million in funds identified as related to the litany of crimes, the fallout of this case may well serve as a caution to similar operations lurking in the shadows of legitimate industry.
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