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April 14, 2008

2 more convicted in cocaine ring using 'Simpsons' code

PROVIDENCE -- Two more men have been convicted in a cocaine smuggling operation from California to New England, a scheme that included a cell-phone conversation with coded reference to "The Simpsons" for the shipment pick-up point: Springfield, Mass.

A U.S. District Court jury on Friday found Adolfo Verdugo, 41, of Pomona, Calif., and Rafael Fernandez-Roque, 30, address unknown, guilty of conspiracy after a week-long trial. Sentencing is slated for Aug. 29, U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente's office announced today.

Omar Altamarino-Nunez, 30 who goes by alias Juan Carlos, and Idelfonso Betancourt-Rodriguez admitted to arranging a cocaine deal with Verdugo and driving from Providence to the Springfield, Mass., area with Fernandez-Roque to pick up the drug, according to the news release. Verdugo had hauled the drug, mixed in with a produce shipment, from California, prosecutors said.

Prosecutor Mary E. Rogers presented evidence at the trial that last May, Altamarino-Nunez, going by alias Juan Carlos, arranged in a cell phone conversation with Verdugo to pick up a cocaine shipment. On May 29, Verdugo told Altamarino-Nunez to meet him “where the Simpsons live,” referring to Springfield, Mass., which the TV show cartoon characters call home, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

The three men headed to Springfield, with Altamarino-Nunez in a mini-van and Betancourt-Rodriguez and Fernandez-Roque in a borrowed Jeep Cherokee. With federal agents monitoring, the Cherokee was parked between two trucks at a rest area north of Springfield, then left after about a minute. Massachusetts State Police and DEA agents stopped the Cherokee, seized a black bag containing cocaine bricks and arrested Betancourt-Rodriguez and Fernandez-Roque.

Verdugo, questioned by a state trooper at the rest area, asserted he was delivering produce to a Massachusetts location. Although one of four cell phones in his truck had been used to communicate with Altamarino’s cell phone, Verdugo was allowed to go as the investigation continued. In July, Newport Police Detective Michael S. Naylor, assigned to the DEA Task Force, flew to California and arrested Verdugo.

Three other men have already pleaded guilty to roles in the drug-trafficking ring.
-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 4:28 PM | Permalink

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