Pounds Of Cocaine Seized In Pennsylvania Helps Convict Last Member Of Puerto Rican Drug Ring

The seventh and final member of a drug smuggling ring that ran from Puerto Rico to Pennsylvania — has been convicted, according to a release by the US Department of Justice on Nov. 16.

Moniqua Ramirez and two pounds of cocaine, nearly 800 bags of fentanyl, and almost $30,000 cash seized by the Lancaster County Drug Task Force. — Moniqua Ramirez and two pounds of cocaine, nearly 800 bags of fentanyl, and almost $30,000 cash seized by the Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Photo Credit: *Lancaster County District Attorney's Office*

Jillian Pikora

11/17/2023 1:49 p.m.

Moniqua Ramirez, 44, has been found guilty of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, according to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam.

She was convicted at the end of a three-day jury trial before U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson on Wednesday, Nov. 15.

Ramirez, along with six other Puerto Ricans conspired to smuggle kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico into Central Pennsylvania using the US Postal Service.

United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam explained:

"The cocaine was shipped in Puerto Rico and mailed to various drop locations in Lancaster, where the parcels were retrieved by conspirators for further distribution. They also engaged in street level drug trafficking, including selling heroin and fentanyl to customers. The conspirators transported cash back to Puerto Rico in furtherance of the trafficking."

Ramirez was arrested with the rest of her conspirators — Ricardo Soto, Jonathan Lopez Arizmendi, Ricky Sanchez, Angel Leon-Rivera, Omar Carmenaty Morales, and Lucas Doel Gonzalez-Alvarado — during a raid by the Lancaster County Drug Task Force of a home in the 300 block of South Ann Street in Sept. 2020, according to a previous release by the Lancaster District Attorney's office.

The force found over two pounds of cocaine, nearly 800 bags of fentanyl — a street value of over $100,000 — and almost $30,000 cash, the DA explained at the time.

All six of Ramirez's fellow drug runners pleaded guilty, according to the USDOJ. Ricardo Soto was sentenced to 46 months in prison on January 19, 2023.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Pennsylvania State Police, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Lancaster County Drug Task Force, and the York County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Consiglio and Christian Haugsby prosecuted the case.

Another group of Puerto Rican was recently arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle cocaine through the US Mail into Berks County. You can read our report on that operation by clicking here.

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