Convictions through guilty pleas in Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) prosecutions (July 7 through July 11, 2026)

Date: July 16, 2026

Contact: [email protected]

San Juan, PR - The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Puerto Rico, Héctor Ramírez-Carbó, Acting United States Attorney, in conjunction with our partner agencies in the Homeland Security Task Force ("HSTF") announce the following prosecutorial results for the week of July 7 through July 11, 2026. The HSTF is a permanent, interagency law enforcement task force created by executive order to combat transnational criminal organizations-including cartels, trafficking networks, and foreign terrorist organizations.

Convictions through guilty pleas

• On July 7, 2026, Jacier Collazo-Cruz pleaded guilty to drug and firearm charges in case 23-353 (GMM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated out of various public housing projects in and near Manatí, PR including the Enrique Zorilla Public Housing Project. Defendant was arrested on Sept. 22, 2023. The court set defendant's sentencing date for Oct. 5, 2026. AUSAs Andres Orr and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On July 10, 2026, Joe Mercado pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to import approximately 340 kilograms of cocaine into the United States in Criminal Case 25-144 (CVR). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to import cocaine; importation of cocaine; conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine; and possession with intent to distribute cocaine- all in excess of 5 kilos of cocaine. Defendant was arrested on March 31, 2025. The court set defendant's sentencing date for Oct. 9, 2026. AUSA Luis A. Valentín is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

Sentencings

• On July 9, 2026, Vicente González pleaded guilty and was sentenced by United States District Court Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán to time served for stowing away on a vessel and improper entry by an alien. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on June 3, 2026, in Criminal Case 26-233. SAUSA Cody A. McKinney oversaw the prosecution of the case.
• On July 9, 2026, Julio Linarez-Cabrera was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Aida Delgado-Colón to 30 months of imprisonment and a supervised release term of five years for conspiracy to import approximately 150 kilograms of cocaine. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on Nov. 6, 2024, in Criminal case 24-416 (ADC), and pleaded guilty to the charge(s) on April 8, 2026. AUSA Luis A. Valentín is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On July 9, 2026, Camilo Mieses-Guerrero was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll to a term of 36 months of imprisonment for aiding and assisting entry of an aggravated felon to the United States. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on Sept. 18, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-387 (SCC), and pleaded guilty on April 15, 2026. SAUSA Steven Liong-Rodríguez is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On July 9, 2026, Rafelín Zorrilla-Delgado was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll to a term of 15 months of imprisonment for aiding and assisting entry of an aggravated felon to the United States. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on Sept. 18, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-387 (SCC), and pleaded guilty on April 9, 2026. SAUSA Steven Liong-Rodríguez is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On July 9, 2026, Antonio Matrillé-Tejada was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll to a term of 18 months of imprisonment for aiding and assisting entry of an aggravated felon to the United States. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on Sept. 18, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-387 (SCC), and pleaded guilty on April 9, 2026. SAUSA Steven Liong-Rodríguez is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On July 10, 2026, Daniel Morla-Reyes, a.k.a "Bebe/Bebe Murales/El Domi," was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gina Méndez-Miró to 173 months and 21 days for his participation in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated out of various public housing projects in and near Manatí, PR including the Enrique Zorilla Public Housing Project. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on Sept. 20, 2023, in Criminal Case 23-353(GMM), and pleaded guilty on March 31, 2026. AUSAs Andres Orr and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
• On July 10, 2026, Michael Mercedes-Vázquez pleaded guilty and was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Silvia L. Carreño-Coll to time served for stowing away on a vessel and improper entry by an alien. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on June 3, 2026, in Criminal Case 26-232. SAUSA Cody A. McKinney oversaw the prosecution of the case.

These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney's Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard - Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.

IRS-CI is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. It is the only federal law enforcement agency with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code. IRS-CI has 18 field offices located across the U.S. and maintains an international presence through attaché posts abroad.