U.S. Department of Justice
March 06, 2014 • Office of Public Affairs (202)
514-2007/TDD (202) 514-1888
WASHINGTON—A former state
marshal and a correctional officer in Puerto Rico were sentenced today for
attempting to smuggle heroin to inmates in exchange for payment, announced
Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s
Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez of the District
of Puerto Rico.
Joel Torres-Velazquez, 49, of
Guánica, Puerto Rico, was sentenced to serve 37 months in prison, followed by
three years of supervised release, by U.S. District Judge Francisco A. Besosa
of the District of Puerto Rico. He pleaded guilty on November 6, 2013, to a
one-count indictment charging him with attempt to distribute a controlled
substance.
Jessica Moreno-Alicea, 39, of
Ponce, Puerto Rico, was sentenced to serve 37 months in prison, followed by
four years of supervised release, by U.S. District Judge Daniel R. Dominguez of
the District of Puerto Rico. She pleaded guilty on December 6, 2013, to a
one-count indictment charging her with attempt to distribute a controlled
substance.
Torres-Velazquez was paid $600
to deliver a package of heroin to an inmate at the Ponce Superior Court, where
Torres-Velazquez worked as a state marshal. On March 30, 2011, Torres-Velazquez
met with an undercover agent, who he believed was a drug dealer and was given
what he believed to be a package of heroin. He delivered the purported heroin
to an inmate in the courthouse that same day.
Moreno was paid $800 to deliver
a package of heroin to an inmate at the Ponce State Penitentiary, where Moreno
worked as a correctional officer. On February 3, 2011, Moreno met with an
undercover agent, whom she believed was a drug dealer, and was given what she
believed to be heroin. She delivered the purported heroin to an inmate in the
prison on February 8, 2011.
The case was investigated by
the FBI’s San Juan Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney
Hector Ramirez-Carbó of the District of Puerto Rico and Trial Attorney Menaka
Kalaskar of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.
