Press Release
☷Federal Jury Finds Tampa Man and Woman Guilty of Possessing Cocaine Fentanyl and Machine Gun During Drug Trafficking Crimes
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ( By Press Release office)
Mar 15,2024
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Hey , guess what? Elias Xavier Rosario Torres , a 26 - year - old from Tampa , and Veronica Estefania Rodriguez Pinuela , a 23 - year - old also from Tampa , have been found guilty by a federal jury . They were caught with a bunch of drugs like fentanyl and over 500 grams of cocaine , and they even had a machine gun! Can you believe it? Rosario Torres , who already had a record , was also charged with conspiracy and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon . These two are looking at a minimum of 35 years in prison , up to life . They were stopped by the Tampa Police Department on March 8 , 2022 , because they messed up while driving . The officers found a couple of backpacks with drugs , a gun , and ammo . Oh , and get this - the gun was actually modified to be a machine gun . Rosario Torres was not supposed to have a gun in the first place because of his previous conviction . The FBI , the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives , and the Tampa Police Department were all involved in this investigation . Assistant U . S . Attorneys Jeff Chang , James C . Preston , and Samantha E . Beckman are handling the prosecution . This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods ( PSN ) , a program that aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence . The Department of Justice launched a strategy to strengthen PSN on May 26 , 2021 , focusing on building trust in communities , supporting organizations that prevent violence , and setting clear enforcement priorities .
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