A local criminal gang has been dismantled in Operation Dirty 30s, with 11 people arrested and charged with drug trafficking fentanyl and first degree murder.
An Orange County grand jury returned a 37-count indictment against 11 defendants involved in the local hybrid gang Respect, Money Structure/Everybody Killer, also known as RMS/EBK. The indictment includes charges of racketeering, drug trafficking and three counts of First Degree Murder (Death) Caused by the Unlawful Distribution of Fentanyl. The group is defined as a criminal gang under Florida statute 874.03.
The Central Florida gang members who were arrested and charged with various crimes are: Jeremiah Maldonado, Zaviar Kidd, Benjamin Rivard, Christian Roux-Rey, Rebecca Murray, Eliamne Rodriguez, Paul Jacas, Carlos Yandel Carrasquill Rodriguez, Elena Falzone, Olivia Goen, and Brenden Haven-Gault.
The indictment is the culmination of a 10-month multi-agency investigation called Operation Dirty 30s which involved the Ninth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, Orlando Police Department and Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
According to law enforcement, the gang was selling fentanyl pills disguised to look like prescription 30-milligram Oxycodone pills, hence the operation’s name, “dirty 30s.”
Operation Dirty 30s began in September 2023 when an OPD detective discussed one of the defendant’s open cases with a prosecutor in our violent crimes unit and mentioned the defendant’s connection to RMS/EBK. They decided to identify the scope of the criminal enterprise and soon learned the OCSO narcotics unit was also working on an investigation into the gang members. The three agencies joined forces to target RMS/EBK and conduct controlled undercover buys.
The operation concluded with the indictment, effectively dismantling the criminal gang.
“The grand jury returning a RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) indictment is significant because RICO laws allow us to dismantle criminal organizations by targeting the individual crimes and the entire structure that supports and perpetuates them,” said State Attorney Andrew Bain. “We can hold those directly involved accountable, pursue harsher penalties through sentencing and disrupt the networks fueling these illegal activities that harm our community.
The State Attorney presented sufficient evidence to the grand jury to show the defendants were involved in a pattern of criminal activity to further their illegal enterprise. The grand jury found enough evidence to state the illegal activities of three defendants directly caused the deaths of Carlos Pena on December 19, 2022 (OPD case), Samuel Frederick on April 16, 2023 (OPD case) and Noah Polanco on September 16, 2023 (OCSO case) through the unlawful distribution of fentanyl. These actions meet the criteria for First Degree Murder, which involves premeditated intent or a death occurring during the commission of a felony.
The State Attorney also released photos of items recovered during undercover drug buys during Operation Dirty 30s and the execution of a search warrant at the house where defendant Roux-Rey lived.
“We could not have secured this indictment without the dedicated, meticulous work of OPD’s drug enforcement division and the OCSO narcotics team,” State Attorney Andrew Bain added. “Their extensive training and experience allowed us to organize the evidence and show the continuity of criminal activity which is especially important in RICO cases.”
Here is a complete list of charges included in the indictment and the defendants indicted, as provided by the State Attorney’s office:
Count 1: Murder (Death Caused) by the Unlawful Distribution of Fentanyl
Defendants:
Jeremiah Maldonado
Count 2: Murder (Death Caused) by the Unlawful Distribution of Fentanyl
Defendants:
Benjamin Rivard
Count 3: Murder (Death Caused) by the Unlawful Distribution of Fentanyl
Defendants:
Elena Falzone
Count 4: Racketeering
Defendants:
Jeremiah Maldonado
Benjamin Rivard
Christian Roux-Rey
Paul Jacas
Olivia Goen
Brenden Haven-Gault
Count 5: Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering
Defendants:
Jeremiah Maldonado
Zaviar Kidd
Benjamin Rivard
Christian Roux-Rey
Rebecca Murray
Paul Jacas
Carlos Yandel Carrasquill Rodriguez
Elena Falzone
Olivia Goen
Brenden Haven-Gault
Count 6: Directing the Activities of a Gang
Defendants:
Christian Roux-Rey
Count 7: Trafficking in 28 Grams or More Fentanyl
Defendants:
Benjamin Rivard
Eliamne Rodriguez
Count 8: Trafficking in 14 Grams but Less Than 28 Grams of Fentanyl
Defendants:
Christian Roux-Rey
Count 9: Trafficking in 14-28 Grams of Methamphetamine
Defendants:
Zaviar Kidd
Count 10: Possession of Fentanyl
Defendants:
Zaviar Kidd
Count 11: Trafficking in 28 Grams or More Fentanyl
Defendants:
Benjamin Rivard
Count 12: Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon
Defendants:
Benjamin Rivard
Count 13: Own, Lease, or Rent Any Place, Structure, Trailer or Conveyance with Knowledge That It Will Be Used for the Sale of Controlled Substances
Defendants:
Zaviar Kidd
Brenden Haven-Gault
Count 14: Delivery of Controlled Substance Within 1,000 Feet of a School
Defendants:
Elena Falzone
Count 15: Possession of Controlled Substance Within 1,000 Feet of an Assisted Living Facility
Defendants:
Elena Falzone
Count 16: Own, Lease, or Rent Any Place, Structure, Trailer or Conveyance with Knowledge That It Will Be Used for the Sale of Controlled Substances
Defendants:
Elena Falzone
Count 17: Delivery Fentanyl
Defendants:
Paul Jacas
Count 18: Delivery Fentanyl
Defendants:
Elena Falzone
Count 19: Trafficking in 4 Grams or More of Dangerous Fentanyl or Fentanyl Analogues While Armed
Defendants:
Paul Jacas
Count 20: Trafficking in 14 Grams or More but Less than 28 Grams of Fentanyl
Defendants:
Paul Jacas
Count 21: Delivery Fentanyl
Defendants:
Olivia Goen
Count 22: Trafficking in 14 Grams or More of Dangerous Fentanyl or Fentanyl Analogues While Armed
Defendants:
Paul Jacas
Carlos Yandel Carrasquill Rodriguez
Count 23: Possession of a Firearm by a Person Found to have Committed a Delinquent Act
Defendants:
Carlos Yandel Carrasquill Rodriguez
Count 24: Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon
Defendants:
Paul Jacas
Count 25: Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon
Defendants:
Paul Jacas
Count 26: Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon
Defendants:
Paul Jacas
Count 27: Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon
Defendants:
Paul Jacas
Count 28: Delivery Fentanyl
Defendants:
Elena Falzone
Count 29: Trafficking 4 Grams or More but Less Than 14 Grams of Fentanyl
Defendants:
Olivia Goen
Count 30: Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon
Defendants:
Paul Jacas
Count 31: Trafficking 4 Grams or More but Less Than 14 Grams of Fentanyl
Defendants:
Olivia Goen
Count 32: Trafficking in 28 Grams or More Fentanyl
Defendants:
Olivia Goen
Count 33: Own, Lease, or Rent Any Place, Structure, Trailer or Conveyance with Knowledge That It Will Be Used for the Sale of Controlled Substances
Defendants:
Olivia Goen
Count 34: Conspiracy to Traffic in 28 Grams or More of Fentanyl
Defendants:
Jeremiah Maldonado
Zaviar Kidd
Benjamin Rivard
Christian Roux-Rey
Rebecca Murray
Paul Jacas
Carlos Yandel Carrasquill Rodriguez
Elena Falzone
Olivia Goen
Brenden Haven-Gault
Count 35: Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate or Further the Commission of a Felony
Defendants:
Jeremiah Maldonado
Zaviar Kidd
Benjamin Rivard
Christian Roux-Rey
Rebecca Murray
Eliamne Rodriguez
Paul Jacas
Elena Falzone
Olivia Goen
Brenden Haven-Gault
Count 36: Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate or Further the Commission of a Felony
Defendants:
Paul Jacas
Carlos Yandel Carrasquill Rodriguez
Elena Falzone
Olivia Goen
Count 37: Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate or Further the Commission of a Felony
Defendants:
Olivia Goen
Ten defendants were already in custody and will now face additional charges from the new indictment. An Orange County judge issued an arrest warrant for the final defendant, Zavier Kidd, who later taken into custody.
