Four defendants plead guilty to federal crimes related to the murder of Puerto Rico Police Sergeant Eliezer Ramos Vélez in Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) prosecution

Date: June 11, 2026

Contact: [email protected]

San Juan, PR - The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Puerto Rico, W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney, in conjunction with our partner agencies in the Homeland Security Task Force ("HSTF") announce the guilty pleas of the following four defendants charged in Criminal Case No. 24-453 (MAJ):

• Victor J. Pérez-Fernández, a/k/a "La Cone", "Vitu", "Vitikin", "Enano"
• Luis N. Isaac-Sánchez, a/k/a "Chimbo", "CDobleta", "Dobleta"
• Olvin O'Neill Concepción-Tapia, a/k/a "Sinfo"
• Daniel J. López-Vega, a/k/a "Dany"

All four defendants, as reflected in the Plea Agreements, accepted responsibility for their role and participation in the drug trafficking conspiracy (Count One) in violation of Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841(a)(1), 846, and 860. The drug conspiracy charged that the defendants conspired with others to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute significant quantities of drugs, including heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, and other drugs in the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project (PHP), Luis Llorens Torres PHP, Los Mirtos PHP, Lagos de Blasina PHP, La Esmeralda PHP, El Coral PHP, Jardines de Monte Hatillo PHP and other nearby areas. That offense carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of ten years and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Two defendants - Pérez-Fernández and Issac-Sánchez - also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking (Count Seven), in violation of Title 18, U.S.C., Section 924(c). That charge carries a mandatory sentence of five years' imprisonment (and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment), to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed.

Two defendants - Concepción-Tapia and López-Vega - also pleaded guilty to the substantive firearms-related murder of Sgt. Ramos Vélez (Count Nine), in violation of Title 18, U.S.C., Section 924(c)(2), which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

All four defendants admitted to their participation in the murder of Sgt. Ramos-Vélez and all plea agreements include a provision that the murder sentencing guidelines provision (U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Section 2A1.1), applies to their cases. The murder guidelines provision applies whether a defendant pleaded guilty to the drug trafficking conspiracy (Count One) or to the substantive firearms-related murder (Count Nine). Specifics with respect to each guilty plea are below:

On June 10, 2026, Victor J. Pérez-Fernández pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán to his participation in the charged drug trafficking conspiracy (Count One) and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking (Count Seven). The Court set the defendant's sentencing date for Sept. 18, 2026.

On June 11, 2026, Luis N. Isaac-Sánchez pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán to his participation in the charged drug trafficking conspiracy (Count One) and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking (Count Seven). The Court set the defendant's sentencing date for Sept. 22, 2026.

On June 11, 2026, Olvin O'Neill Concepción-Tapia pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán to his participation in the charged drug trafficking conspiracy (Count One) and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking resulting in the death of Sgt. Ramos-Velez (Count Nine). The Court set the defendant's sentencing date for Sept. 22, 2026.

On June 11, 2026, Daniel J. López-Vega pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán to his participation in the charged drug trafficking conspiracy (Count One) and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking resulting in the death of Sgt. Ramos-Velez (Count Nine). The Court set the defendant's sentencing date for Sept. 22, 2026.

Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Gang Section Alberto López-Rocafort; Deputy Chief of the Gang Section, AUSA Teresa Zapata-Valladares; and AUSAs Laura Díaz-González, and Joseph Russell are prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney's Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard - Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.

IRS-CI is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. It is the only federal law enforcement agency with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code. IRS-CI has 18 field offices located across the U.S. and maintains an international presence through attaché posts abroad.