Emmanuel Rodriguez-Rodriguez, 33, of Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine before United States Magistrate G. Alan Teague, United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced Monday.
Rodriguez-Rodriguez, along with Jose Torres-Russi, Ben Carrasquillosanto, Jose Martes-Gonzalez, Wilfredo Vazquez-Lopez, Jonathan Fernandez Montesino, Esteban Borrome Diaz, Smarling Villilo De Los Santo, and Guillermo Morales, were indicted on drug trafficking conspiracy and related charges for the Dec. 11, 2021, cocaine smuggling operation between St. Thomas and Culebra, Puerto Rico, according to the press release.
If convicted, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors, the press release stated.
According to court records, on Dec. 11, 2021, Customs and Border Protection Air
and Marine Operations officers observed four jet skis traveling from Culebra, Puerto Rico,
toward Mermaid’s Chair Beach, located at Botany Bay, St. Thomas, where four individuals were awaiting their arrival. Officers later observed duffel bags being loaded onto the jet skis, after which the jet skis quickly departed Mermaid’s Chair Beach and headed back in the direction of Culebra. The officers also noticed that a red Jeep Wrangler was the only vehicle parked at Mermaid’s Chair Beach while the transaction was ongoing. The officer pursued the four jet skis as they sped toward Culebra. One Jet Ski operator abandoned his vehicle and fled on foot but left behind a duffel bag containing 26 kilograms of cocaine. Officers later apprehended Jet Ski operators Torres-Russi, Carrasquillosanto and Martes-Gonzalez. The remaining six defendants, including Rodriguez-Rodriguez, were apprehended by federal agents as their vehicle attempted to exit the gated community at Botany Bay, St. Thomas. During their arrests, agents recovered two Glock pistols, one with an obliterated serial number, in the defendants’ vehicle.
