A 26-year-old Tampa man and 23-year-old Tampa woman possessed cocaine, fentanyl and a machine gun during Central Florida drug trafficking crimes.
United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced that a federal jury has found Elias Xavier Rosario Torres and Veronica Estefania Rodriguez Pinuela, both of Tampa, guilty of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and over 500 grams of cocaine and possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In addition, Rosario Torres was also found guilty of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and over 500 grams of cocaine and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Both defendants face a mandatory minimum penalty of 35 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to evidence presented at trial, Rosario Torres and Rodriguez Pinuela were stopped on March 8, 2022, by Tampa Police Department officers after a traffic infraction. During the traffic stop, officers located two backpacks in the defendants’ possession containing nearly a kilogram of cocaine, 16 grams of fentanyl, a Glock 23 handgun, two loaded magazines, and additional ammunition. The Glock 23 was modified with a chip that converted the handgun into a machine gun. At the time of the offense, Rosario Torres was a convicted felon, having been convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeff Chang, James C. Preston, and Samantha E. Beckman. Rosario Torres and Rodriguez Pinuela were indicted by federal grand jury on October 25, 2022.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
