PUERTO RICO – Two former law enforcement officers who attempted to sell smuggled heroin to inmates were given prison sentences on Thursday, according to federal prosecutors.
Joel Torres-Velazquez, 49, of Guánica, Puerto Rico, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison. Jessica Moreno-Alicea, 39, of Ponce, Puerto Rico, was also sentenced to three years. She plead guilty in December.
Torres-Velazquez was paid $600 to deliver a package of heroin to an inmate at the Ponce Superior Court, where Torres-Velazquez worked as a state marshal, federal officials said.
On March 30, 2011, authorities said Torres-Velazquez met with an undercover agent, who he believed was a drug dealer, and was given what he believed to be a package of heroin. He delivered the purported heroin to an inmate in the courthouse that same day, federal officials said.
Moreno was paid $800 to deliver a package of heroin to an inmate at the Ponce State Penitentiary, where Moreno worked as a correctional officer.
On Feb. 3, 2011, Moreno met with an undercover agent, who she believed was a drug dealer, and was given what she believed to be heroin.
She delivered the purported heroin to an inmate in the prison on Feb. 8, 2011.
The FBI conducted the investigation.