Federal prosecutor seeks more time for guilty pleas in Puerto Rico prison drug case
The federal prosecutor requested at least a 30-day extension to negotiate plea deals with most of the 34 defendants, including Jensen Medina Cardona.
The short version
- El Nuevo Día reported that federal prosecutor Myriam Y. Fernández González signed a motion asking for at least a 30-day extension of the deadline set by the judge for guilty plea agreements
- Primera Hora reported that only four guilty plea agreements had been filed out of the 34 defendants in the case known as Grupo 31 or Los Tiburones
- Both outlets reported the request was due to delays in discovery including disciplinary records from the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation
- El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora reported the defendants allegedly used drones, mail, family visits and everyday items such as PlayStation consoles to traffic fentanyl, Suboxone, heroin, cocaine, marijuana and synthetic marijuana
Extension requested before deadline
The federal prosecutor requested an extension of the deadline to file guilty plea agreements in the case involving alleged drug trafficking inside Puerto Rico prisons. El Nuevo Día reported that the motion was signed by federal prosecutor Myriam Y. Fernández González because the deadline set by U.S. District Judge Silvia L. Carreño Coll for the parties to present the agreements was expiring on Friday.
According to the motion, the United States asks that the deadline for change of plea be extended for a period of no less than 30 days so that the defendants have sufficient time to receive and examine any records from the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation of Puerto Rico. Both El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora reported that delays in the discovery of evidence, including the disciplinary records of inmates that must be provided by the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation, have hindered the completion of the negotiations. Judge Carreño Coll has not yet issued an order on the request.
Limited agreements reached so far
El Nuevo Día reported and Primera Hora reported that federal prosecutors have focused on negotiating guilty pleas since January of this year. Multiple requests for date changes were filed until the judge set Oct. 9, 2026 as the deadline. In recent days only four agreements were presented.
Among those not included in the four agreements are Juan Carlos Ortiz Vázquez, alleged leader of the organization known as Grupo 31 or Los Tiburones, and Jensen Medina Cardona. Medina Cardona was previously sentenced in state court to 129 years for the 2019 murder of Arellys Mercado Ríos in Fajardo. The federal indictment against the 34 defendants was filed on Dec. 12, 2024.
Alleged methods of drug introduction
Both outlets reported that the defendants are accused of trafficking controlled substances including fentanyl, Suboxone, heroin, cocaine, marijuana and synthetic marijuana inside facilities of the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation. The substances were allegedly introduced using drones, mail, family visits, by throwing packages into prison yards and by hiding them in everyday items such as PlayStation consoles, remote controls, food, microwaves, fans and bags of ice.
El Nuevo Día reported that the case was developed by the DEA, which executed 34 arrest warrants.
Where the sources differ
The two sources largely agree on all key facts including the request for a minimum 30-day extension signed by federal prosecutor Myriam Y. Fernández González, the reason tied to delays in obtaining Department of Correction records, the Oct. 9 2026 deadline, the four agreements filed so far, the names of the main defendants not covered by those agreements, the prior state murder conviction and sentence of Jensen Medina Cardona, the 2019 Fajardo killing details, the Dec. 12 2024 federal indictment date, the list of drugs and the methods used to introduce them. El Nuevo Día was published on Saturday Oct. 10 and refers to the deadline expiring yesterday while Primera Hora was published on Friday Oct. 9 and refers to the deadline as today; both describe the motion as a request to extend the current deadline rather than after its expiration.
What the reports do not say
The sources do not state whether Judge Silvia L. Carreño Coll granted the requested extension. They do not indicate when the next court deadline or hearing might be scheduled. The reports provide no information on the current status of negotiations with the four defendants who already filed agreements or on any trial date if pleas are not reached. No details are given about the specific roles alleged for each of the 34 defendants beyond naming the purported leader.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Official Caso de Jensen Medina: la Fiscalía federal pide más tiempo para lograr acuerdos de culpabilidad
- Reporting Caso de Jensen Medina: la Fiscalía federal pide más tiempo para lograr acuerdos de culpabilidad
- Reporting Fiscalía federal pide más tiempo para lograr acuerdos de culpa en caso de Jensen Medina Cardona
How we checked this
El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora both reported the motion by federal prosecutor Myriam Y. Fernández González, the limited number of plea agreements reached, the prior conviction of Jensen Medina Cardona and the alleged drug trafficking methods. The description of the organization as Grupo 31 or Los Tiburones and the exact list of concealment items rest on both sources.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.