Opinion ID: 202274
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The original investigation leading to Martinez

Text: 4 An initial multi-district investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) targeted two men, known as Hercules and Pachito. Court-authorized electronic surveillance used during this investigation (the Pachito wires) intercepted communications with a Dominican male identified only as Gallo. In November 1999, after authorization for the Pachito wires expired, the DEA persuaded Hercules to cooperate with authorities. Hercules provided the DEA with information about his drug-trafficking activities in Massachusetts, including information that Hercules and Pachito had supplied hundreds of kilograms of cocaine to Gallo. 5 The DEA's investigation of Gallo commenced in January/February 2000. Through physical surveillance, the DEA identified Gallo as Martinez. With Hercules's assistance, the DEA placed consensually 1 recorded calls to Martinez, and recorded and monitored a meeting between Martinez and Hercules. At the meeting, the two discussed different prices per kilogram of cocaine; however, a deal was never consummated. 6 During the same time period—January/February 2000—the DEA in New Hampshire apprehended an individual referred to as CW-2. CW-2, one of Martinez's cocaine customers, also agreed to cooperate with law enforcement officials. CW-2 told the DEA that he had been purchasing approximately one kilogram of cocaine from Martinez every three weeks since February 1999. CW-2 also identified an individual known as Lulu, a/k/a Luis Melendez, as Martinez's partner in the drug business. 7 CW-2 also made a series of recorded phone calls to Martinez in February 2000. In these calls, CW-2 and Martinez discussed the amount of money CW-2 owed Martinez for a kilogram of cocaine CW-2 had in his possession when the DEA apprehended CW-2. At the DEA's direction and under its surveillance, CW-2 made three partial payments to Martinez for the cocaine. The first payment was made to Claudia Sanchez (Sanchez), Martinez's live-in girlfriend; the second to Sanchez and Martinez; and the third to Martinez.