Philadelphia Man Convicted at Trial of Trafficking Cocaine Near School

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Carlos Ramos, 34, of Philadelphia, was convicted yesterday by a federal jury of one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine within 1,000 feet of an elementary school.

On September 11, 2018, U.S. Postal Inspectors intercepted a suspicious priority mail package at the Philadelphia mail distribution center. After receiving a court-ordered search warrant, law enforcement opened the package and discovered over one kilogram of cocaine inside the package. On September 13, 2018, law enforcement conducted a controlled delivery of the priority package, which also contained a court-authorized GPS tracker and beeper device inside of it. The package was hand-delivered to the defendant, Carlos Ramos. A few minutes after delivery, the beeper went off, indicating that the priority mail package had been opened. When law enforcement knocked on the door, no one responded. A law enforcement officer conducting surveillance in the rear of the house observed an arm in a white jacket reach out of a second floor window and throw a white package out of the window into the backyard of the adjoining property. Law enforcement retrieved the package from the adjacent yard. Upon entry into the house, law enforcement encountered Ramos exiting the rear bedroom on the second floor and wearing a white jacket. A sweep of Ramos’ hands with a black light revealed the presence of theft detection powder on Ramos’ hands. Agents found the opened priority mail package, a knife, and some of the plastic wrapping material at the top of the stairs. The home is across the street from an elementary school. 

 “The defendant received over one kilogram of cocaine in the mail when he lived across the street from an elementary school,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “He clearly has no respect for the rule of law as well as a total disregard for the safety of our children. We are grateful that the jury held him accountable for his crimes.”

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Philadelphia Police Department, and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Ashenfelter and Frank A. Labor III.