Members Of Heroin And Cocaine Conspiracy Indicted

Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Joaquin Alvarez-Rodriguez (29, Puerto Rico), Jose Polanco (29, Orlando), Quenten Desue (31, Orlando), Antonio Jackson (31, Orlando), and Daron Lorenza Jones (30, Orlando) with conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with the intent to distribute, heroin and cocaine. If convicted on all counts, Alvarez-Rodriguez and Polanco each face a mandatory minimum term of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Desue, Jackson, and Jones each face a maximum term of 20 years’ imprisonment.

Two other co-conspirators, Christian Amaro (34, Orlando) and Joel Gutierrez (34, Orlando), have pleaded guilty to an information charging them with conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with the intent to distribute, heroin and cocaine. They each face a mandatory minimum mandatory term of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. Gutierrez also pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and he faces a maximum term of 10 years’ imprisonment. As part of their plea agreements, Amaro and Gutierrez agreed to forfeit six firearms, $11,793 in cash, and approximately $22,590 worth of jewelry, all of which are traceable to the charged offenses or to the proceeds of the crimes.

According to court documents, from at least 2015, Alvarez-Rodriguez and Polanco shipped multiple kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to the Orlando area and conspired with Amaro and others to distribute it. Additionally, Amaro and Gutierrez conspired with Desue, Jackson, Jones, and others to distribute cocaine and heroin in central Florida.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Embry J. Kidd.