Three Members of Florida Keys Cocaine Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Federal Prison

MIAMI - Three members of a large-scale cocaine trafficking organization operating in the Florida Keys have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a years-long conspiracy to distribute cocaine throughout Monroe County.

U.S. District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz II sentenced John Robert Strama Jr., 44, Pedro Luis Lugo Jr., 38, and Elvis Lazaro Ruiz, 34, all of Marathon, to 120 months, 85 months, and 65 months in prison, respectively.

Strama and Ruiz previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Lugo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.

"Fishing for 'square groupers' in the waters off the Florida Keys is not a harmless pastime; it is drug trafficking, and it carries serious consequences," said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. "These defendants recovered kilogram quantities of cocaine from the sea and distributed them throughout the Florida Keys for years. Their sentences send a clear message: whether drugs arrive by land, air, or sea, we will work with our law enforcement partners to find the traffickers, dismantle their networks, and bring them to justice."

The three were among 27 defendants charged in a federal indictment stemming from a long-running cocaine distribution network that operated from at least 2020 through 2023.

According to court records, Strama, identified as a leader of the organization, obtained much of the cocaine he distributed by locating and recovering "floaters" - waterproof-wrapped kilogram packages of cocaine found at sea. A professional boat operator, Strama used his knowledge of local waterways, tides, and currents to recover dozens of kilograms of cocaine over the course of the conspiracy. He then distributed the cocaine to co-conspirators and other buyers throughout the Florida Keys.

Strama, Ruiz, and Lugo were held responsible for distributing between 15 and 50 kilograms of cocaine during the conspiracy.

To date, 25 defendants have been sentenced. Kizmet Yatz Qualls and Daniel Fernando Ramirez are scheduled to be sentenced at a later date.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

FBI Miami is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean McLaughlin and Frank Tamen are prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.govLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.govLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link., under case number 24-cr-20386.

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