TAMPA, Fla. - A Hillsborough County judge denied bond Monday for three defendants arrested in a major drug trafficking investigation. The judge granted bond for two other defendants. Prosecutors say all five have ties to a drug trafficking network in Puerto Rico that funneled fentanyl into Florida.
On Monday, the judge denied bond for Jorge Vargas Torres, Carlos Acevedo Varela, and William Rivera Diaz. Torres and Varela are accused of selling fentanyl to an undercover detective.
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Diaz is not accused of selling to an agent, but the judge said his "past and present conduct" causes concern that "he may not appear for trial." Diaz has a past conviction of fleeing and eluding.
Dig deeper:
On Friday, the defendants appeared in court for a bond hearing, during which two undercover Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office detectives testified about buying fentanyl from Torres and Varela.
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According to the prosecution, one of the detectives purchased 45 ounces of fentanyl for over $45,000 over several buys from Torres last year.
"He would enter my vehicle in the front seat. He would provide me the narcotics. I would provide him the cash," said the undercover detective, who FOX 13 isn't naming.
The backstory:
Last September, a wire was set up on Torres' phone "to infiltrate or identify the network that is sourcing the fentanyl that I was purchasing," the undercover detective testified.
That wiretap led investigators to William Rivera Diaz and Alfredo Delvalle Ravelo, the detective testified.
Surveillance was set up, and the detective told the courtroom some drug transactions between these men reportedly happened inside residences. Some defense attorneys challenged that notion, saying no members of law enforcement or confidential informants witnessed these transactions.
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The undercover buys were reportedly recorded, but some of the defense attorneys pointed out that no pictures or videos of these recorded buys were presented in court Friday.
The detective testified that the drugs purchased in the undercover buys were later tested by the FDLE, and in some cases, it came back as para-fluorofentanyl, which is a stronger fentanyl, he told the judge.
Torres faces the most serious charges. They include a RICO conspiracy charge, six counts of trafficking in fentanyl, and two counts of trafficking in cocaine.
What they're saying:
On Friday, his father told the courtroom he was very surprised to hear testimony about his son's alleged involvement, noting that his 23-year-old son is a good father.
"My son can't work," Jorge Vargas Perez, the father of Vargas Torres, said. "He gets a check for disability for his mental problem he has."
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But the state argued against the release of Torres and the others.
"It's the state's position the release of any these individuals would pose a danger to the community," prosecutor Jessica Baik said.
The judge granted bond for the remaining two defendants, Ruth Allyn, and Alfredo Delvalle Ravelo. They are both charged with conspiracy to traffic in illegal drugs.