Page 34 - Florida Sentinel 9-11-20

Crime
‘Operation Pocket Dial’ Lands 11 In Jail On Drug Charges
Police Investigate
Murder At
Apartment Complex
Detectives with the Tampa Police Department are currently investi- gating a murder. The murder took place at an apart- ment complex last Friday.
A 35-year-old man was fatally
Police are investigating a fatal shoot- wounded by gun- ing that took place last Saturday at the
WILLIAM FRANQUI
MARIE RODRIGUEZ
EDGARDO COLON ROSARIO
LESLIE PAGAN
fire. The shooting Garden Terrace Apartment Complex.
took place in the
8700 block of Del Rey Court, shortly before 10 p.m.
According to the Tampa Police Department, officers were dispatched to the location in the Garden Terrace Apart- ment Complex. When they arrived, they dis- covered that a 35-year-old man was suffering from an apparent gunshot injury.
The unidentified man was transported to a local hospital,
where he died as a result of his injuries.
Police don’t believe the shooting was a random act. There was no description of a suspect released at press time.
The murder case is an ac- tive investigation and detec- tives are asking anyone with information to contact Crimestoppers of Tampa Bay at 800.873.TIPS or online at www.cr\imestopperstb.com.
Local law enforcement has arrested 11 people in connec- tion with an undercover inves- tigation. They were arrested as part of “Operation Pocket Dial,” a multi-agency investiga- tion that targeted heroin and fentanyl distribution.
The investigation focused on sales in both Tampa and Kissimmee.
Three indictments were un- sealed by the U. S. Attorney’s Office charging a total of 11 members of drug trafficking organizations with offenses re- lated to the distribution of heroin and fentanyl.
In December 2019, two ad- ditional defendants, Eric Manuel Robles Rivera, 45, of Orlando and 38-year-old Eddie Quinones Santiago, of Kissimmee were arrested. They were charged as part of this investigation.
Robles Rivera previously pleaded guilty to possessing heroin with the intent to dis- tribute it and, in July 2020, he was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison. Quinones Santiago is scheduled for trial in October 2020.
According to the indict- ments just unsealed, revealed that beginning January 1, 2016, and continuing until August 27, 2020, the defendants con- spired to distribute heroin and fentanyl in the Middle District of Florida. The defendants dis- tributed heroin and fentanyl on multiple occasions, and the use of the heroin and fentanyl re-
sulted in death and serious bodily injury.
Tampa Arrests
The individuals arrested and charged have been identi- fied as:
William Franqui, 35, charged with conspiracy to dis- tribute, and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and distribu- tion of heroin and fentanyl re- sulting in serious bodily injury; and 2 counts distribution of heroin.
Marie Rodriguez, 39, charged with conspiracy to dis- tribute, and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and fentanyl and 2 counts distribution of heroin.
Edgardo Colon Rosado,
28, charged with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with in- tent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and distribu- tion of heroin and fentanyl, and 2 counts distribution of heroin.
Jose Miriel Morales Sanchez, 29, charged with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distrib- ute one kilogram or more of heroin and distribution of heroin and fentanyl.
Orlando Muniz Es- calera, 26, charged with con- spiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distrib- ute one kilogram or more of heroin and distribution of heroin and fentanyl, and distri- bution of heroin.
Leslie Marie Pagan, 39, charged with conspiracy to dis- tribute, and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and distribu- tion of heroin and fentanyl, 8 counts of distribution of heroin and fentanyl.
Jackylin Bonifacio, 36, charged with conspiracy to dis- tribute, and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and distribu- tion of heroin and fentanyl, re- sulting in death.
Steven Echevarria, 34, charged with conspiracy to dis- tribute, and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and distribu- tion of heroin and fentanyl, and distribution of fentanyl.
Clearwater Arrest Kevin Darnell Diaz Tirado, 27, of Clearwater, charged with conspiracy to dis- tribute, and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and distribu- tion of heroin and fentanyl, and 2 counts distribution of heroin.
Kissimmee Arrests Nathaniel Quiles, 35, of Kissimmee, charged with con- spiracy to distribute one hun- dred grams or more of heroin
and distribution of heroin.
Kiara Marie Rivera Ser- rano, 29, of Kissimmee, charged with conspiracy to dis- tribute one hundred grams or more of heroin and distribu- tion of heroin.
Police Search For Suspect In Hotel Shooting
Police are cur- rently searching for a gunman involved in a fatal shooting. The shooting took place last Thursday at a local hotel.
According to Tampa Police, the shooting took place around 12:39 a.m., at the Godfrey Hotel, 7700 Court- ney Campbell Causeway.
The Godfrey Hotel is the location where a shooting took place last Thursday. The vic- tim was listed in critical condition.
When officers arrived at the location in response to the shooting, they discovered the victim was an injured 25-year- old Hispanic man.
The victim was bleeding profusely from a gunshot wound. One officer quickly ap- plied a makeshift tourniquet using the cord from a blow dryer while another officer monitored the victim’s vital signs.
At some point, the victim had no pulse and of- ficers performed CPR until the victim was again able to breathe on his own.
Tampa Fire Rescue arrived to treat and then transport the victim to a nearby hospital, where he was
last listed in recovery in the Intensive Care Unit after surgery.
Police said early investiga- tion information suggests the suspect and the victim are both known to each other and had a heated argument earlier in the evening. The suspect then re- turned and shot the victim be- fore fleeing the scene.
The only description police released is that the suspect is a white or Hispanic man in his early to mid-twenties.
The shooting is an active investigation and detectives are asking anyone with infor- mation to contact Crimestop- pers of Tampa Bay at 800.873.TIPS or online at www.cr\imestopperstb.com.
PAGE 22-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020