Convictions through Guilty Pleas and Sentencings in Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Prosecutions (October 26 through October 30, 2026)

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – 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 October 26 through October 30, 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 October 27, 2026, Jackson L. Nieves-Mercado pleaded guilty to Counts One and Three of the Indictment in Criminal Case No. 26-236 (MAJ). According to the Indictment, the defendant was charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Defendant was arrested on May 30, 2026. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for January 27, 2027. AUSA María Isabel López Aponte is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

On October 28, 2026, siblings Alvin and Alder Lara-Martínez pleaded guilty to violating 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(1) in Criminal Case 25-424 (MAJ). According to the indictment, the defendants were charged with conspiracy to destroy, alter, or conceal evidence. Defendants were arrested on November 10, 2025. The court set defendants’ sentencing date for February 2, 2027. SAUSA Cody A. McKinney is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

Sentencings:On October 29, 2026, Estefanny D. Parra-Rosa was sentenced by United States District Court Silvia Carreño Coll to one year probation for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on June 10, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-272 (SCC) and pleaded guilty on July 29, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr in charge of the prosecution of the case.

On October 30, 2026, Johan Tirado-Agueda was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach to 70 months of imprisonment and one year of supervised release for drug-trafficking offenses. According to court documents, the defendant was originally indicted on March 30, 2023, and a superseding indictment was filed on December 4, 2025, in Criminal Case 23-125 (RAM), and the defendant pleaded guilty on February 24, 2026. AUSAs Antonio López and Antonio Pérez are in charge of 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.