Opinion ID: 203886
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Drug Operation

Text: In early 2005, ATF agents began an investigation into corruption in the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) with the goal of identifying police officers willing to escort cocaine shipments. Through the help of a CS, Canino enlisted the participation of the defendant police officers in escorting cocaine loads throughout Puerto Rico. On February 21, 2005, Canino met with Marrero and Oliveras and told them he was a drug dealer from Miami who was trafficking cocaine through Puerto Rico, and that he needed uniformed police officers to help him move 30 kilograms through San Juan for $4,000 each per trip. A few days later, Marrero and Oliveras, in uniform, helped Canino execute this plan, and they were paid $4,000 each in cash. An identical operation was carried out with the help of Marrero and Oliveras just a few weeks later. Soon thereafter, Canino informed Marrero that he needed to move 300 kilograms of cocaine, which would require the help of two additional police officers. On March 5, 2005, Canino met with Marrero, Bristol, and another police officer. At this meeting, Canino talked about a plan to escort 300 kilograms of cocaine from a boat in a marina in San Juan or Fajardo. A few days later, Bristol, Marrero, and Oliveras helped execute the plan and were paid $5,000 each. On March 31, 2005, Canino met with Bristol in part to discuss Bristol's possible access to more police officers who were willing to escort the drugs. Canino then proposed moving another 300 kilograms of cocaine with the help of a new police officer; however, Canino first wanted to do a test run with the new recruit, involving only 30 kilograms of cocaine. Canino told Bristol that he would include the new recruit in the 300 kilogram shipment if he was satisfied with the new recruit's performance during the 30 kilogram operation. On April 6, 2005, Canino met with the CS, Bristol, and Santiago, a police officer Canino had not previously met, at an employee parking lot of the Wyndham El San Juan Hotel. At the parking lot, Canino explained the logistics of the drug operation to Bristol and Santiago, which involved escorting 30 kilograms of cocaine. Canino then gave Santiago and Bristol keys to a vehicle that Canino had provided to them, and instructed them on how to proceed. Canino told them that they were going to receive $4,000 each upon completion of the job. Bristol and Santiago, driving in the vehicle provided to them by Canino, followed Canino and the CS to a plaza in Carolina, Puerto Rico, where they picked up drugs from an ATF agent posing as Canino's associate. The drugs were loaded into Santiago and Bristol's vehicle. Santiago and Bristol then followed Canino and the CS to Río Hondo, Puerto Rico, where they dropped off the drugs in an another ATF agent's vehicle, who also represented himself as Canino's associate. Canino paid $4,000 each to Bristol and Santiago, after which they discussed the possibility of doing a 300 kilogram shipment of cocaine. On April 28, 2005, Canino scheduled a meeting at a restaurant with Bristol, Santiago, and another officer. However, this meeting did not take place because Canino may have blown his cover when Santiago noticed Canino waiving off his undercover team with hand signals.