Dominican national involved in conspiracy to import large amounts of cocaine from Puerto Rico into southern New England

A Dominican national admitted to a federal judge that, while visiting in March 2022, he participated in a criminal drug conspiracy that law enforcement alleges imported multiple packages containing a kilogram or more of cocaine, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

Rafael Fleury Munoz, 22, admitted that he was driven to at least two locations by other members of the conspiracy and instructed to retrieve packages of cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico to Providence and Johnston via the U.S. Postal Service.

Munoz admitted that, on March 26, 2022, he attempted to retrieve a Priority Mail parcel from a U.S. Postal carrier that was sent to a residence in Providence and addressed to another person. Munoz was unsuccessful. U.S. Postal Inspection Service agents later determined that the parcel contained 1.15 kilos of cocaine. Two days later, Munoz was driven by a member of the conspiracy to a residence in Johnston where he retrieved a package addressed to him that was shipped from Puerto Rico and that contained 1.07 grams of cocaine.

Munoz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine; and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 12, 2023. The defendant’s sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Barton.