An up-and-coming rapper faces the death penalty after being charged with killing a police officer as part of a sprawling drug trafficking ring in Puerto Rico, authorities said.
CDobleta, real name Luis Sánchez, is one of five people charged with murder over the fatal shooting of 35-year-old Eliezer Ramos in the Sabana Abajo residential complex outside the city of San Juan on March 29.
The FBI, the US attorney general and the Puerto Rico Police Department obtained 56 arrest warrants for those linked to the gang before officers carried out a major sweep in the early hours of Wednesday.
At least 40 members of the La Familia gang, which operates out of the Sabana Abajo complex, were taken into custody on Wednesday, an FBI spokesperson told DailyMail.com.
According to authorities, sixteen other suspects are on the run.
All 56 defendants are charged with drug trafficking. At least 37 are accused of violating U.S. gun laws.
Eight of the suspects are accused of using firearms modified to fire automatically.
Sánchez, who turned around had reported himself to the police in April, was officially charged last week with murder and multiple drug and weapons charges.
He has over a million followers on Instagram and YouTube and over 1.5 million listeners on Spotify.
CDobleta, real name Luis Sánchez, is one of five people charged with murder over the fatal shooting of 35-year-old Eliezer Ramos in the Sabana Abajo residential complex outside the city of San Juan on March 29.
Puerto Rico police officer Eliezer Ramos was killed on March 29 in the Sabana Abajo housing complex near San Juan. The 35-year-old had just finished his shift and was driving home when he saw the riders of three motorcycles and an ATV firing their weapons. in the air and followed them
The others charged with murder were identified as Víctor Pérez, Andyel González, Olvin Concepción and Daniel J. López.
On March 29, Officer Ramos had just finished his shift and was driving home when he saw three motorcycles and an all-terrain vehicle whose riders fired shots into the air as other vehicles drove by.
The officer, father of a nine-year-old boy, called for backup and followed the group to the residential complex, where he was shot and his service pistol was stolen.
According to court documents, Sánchez had previously told officers he was with the motorcycle and ATV riders.
“That same night, the slain officer radioed that individuals within the motorcycle group were shooting at cars,” court records showed.
“(Sánchez) told HSI agents that he heard gunshots while driving and gestured to his fellow passengers regarding the shooting.”
The arrests were made possible after a federal grand jury issued an indictment following months of investigative work by local authorities.
“Thank you God for allowing us today to do justice to Sergeant Eliezer Ramos Vélez,” Antonio López, commissioner of the Puerto Rico Police Department, told reporters.
CDobleta has more than a million followers on Instagram and YouTube
Fernando Torres, who is assigned to the highway patrol, was arrested Wednesday in Puerto Rico after the FBI and local law enforcement obtained 56 arrest warrants. Torres is said to have provided information to associates of La Familia, a gang linked to the murder of fellow officer Eliezer Ramos
Puerto Rico police officer Eliezer Ramos was the father of a nine-year-old boy
“Eliezer went above and beyond the call of duty, his dedication cost him the most precious thing we all have: life. Today we can say that Eliezer’s death was not in vain, nor did it go unpunished.’
Officer Fernando Torres, 47, of the highway police, was among 40 suspects arrested.
López revealed that Torres allegedly provided information to La Familia.
“This individual… represents a major betrayal of the principles a police officer swears by and the uniform that we all proudly and bravely defend. Because of his actions, he will now have to wear a different uniform, that of a prisoner,” López said.