HECTOR BAEZ
TORRES

PILAR RIVERA

JEIMYLEE BAEZ RIVERA

MIGUEL CASTRO RIVERA

LUIS RAMOS DELGADO

     “Operation Rooske, A Family Affair:” Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and
the Florida Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution, Ashley Moody,
Attorney General, coordinate dismantling of Lakeland-based fentanyl trafficking organization.

     A multi-agency fentanyl trafficking investigation, which lasted just over three
years, resulted in the arrest of 64 people, and crippled the Lakeland-based organization.

     The effort began in January of 2021 and included the coordination between the
Polk County Sheriff’s Office, The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution, Ashley Moody, Attorney General.

     The investigations were conducted with the assistance of the State Financial
Assistance for Fentanyl Eradication (S.A.F.E), Florida Program managed by the
FDLE.

     In 2023, the Florida Legislature established state funding for the
S.A.F.E program to conduct investigations designed to combat illegal fentanyl trafficking.  The grant provides financial support and assistance for approved
fentanyl-related investigative costs, such as overtime, travel, investigative supplies and equipment, and training.
Organized Crime Unit detectives from the PCSO and special agents from FDLE conducted multiple undercover purchases of fentanyl from the Rooske drug trafficking organization which used the Rooske Bait and Tackle Shop, 6908 U. S. 982 N., Lakeland, and Rooske Motorcycle Parts & Accessories, 6916 U. S. 98 N,
Lakeland, for drug trafficking and money laundering.

     Two suppliers of illegal drugs to the Rooske organization were identified: 26-year old Wilfredo Feliciano Velez and 59-year old Casimiro Bidot Del Valle
of Kissimmee. Feliciano Velez was arrested by PCSO detectives as he was delivering three kilograms of cocaine to Hector Baez Torres. Bidot Del Valle
was arrested at his residence by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office during the execution of a search warrant.

     On June 20, 2024, detectives from the PCSO’s Bureau of Special Investigations,
along with FDLE Special Agents, executed five search warrants in Polk County (Rooske Motorcycle Parts & Accessories, Rooske Bait & Tackle Shop, the
residence of Hector and Pilar, the residence of Jeimylee and Miguel, and the residence of Luis and Wilma and one in Osceola County (the residence of
Casimiro.
During the investigation, the following illegal drugs were seized: Fentanyl (742.14 grams), cocaine 3,585.42 grams, methamphetamine (13.08 grams), oxycodone (57 grams), and marijuana (228.69 grams). The total street value of the seized illegal drugs is estimated to be worth $475,348.60.

     Among the assets seized were: $12,270 in US currency, five vehicles ($154,000), two personal watercrafts $15,000), dirt bikes and off-road vehicles ($40,000), enclosed trailer ($4,000), Rooske Bait Store merchandise ($35,000), Rooske Motorcycle Shop merchandise ($55,000), jewelry/electronics/firearms/designer apparel ($67,500), bank accounts ($40,000), and liens on the residence of Hector and Pilar ($200,000). The total value of these seized assets is $604,770.00.

     Those assets, combined with the organization’s seized illegal drugs produced a
total impact of $1,080,118.60 on the Rooske Drug Trafficking Organization.

     While most of the arrests were buyers of illegal drugs from the Rooske organization, detectives used those arrests to lead back to and build a case
against the organization.

     The following were the main actors arrested during this operation:        Hector Baez Torres, 43, Lakeland
Charged: racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, unlawful
use of 2-way communication device.
     Pilar Rivera, 41, Lakeland (Hector’s wife) Charged: conspiracy to commit racketeering, unlawful use of 2-way communication device

     Jeimylee Baez Rivera, 23, Auburndale, daughter of Hector and Pilar
Charged: conspiracy to commit racketeering, trafficking in cocaine 28g or
more, trafficking in fentanyl 28g or more, possession of oxycodone, possessing a structure for drugs with minor present, negligent child abuse w/o bodily harm, unlawful use of 2-way communication device,
possession of marijuana resin, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of prescription drug without prescription.
     Miguel Castro Rivera, 24, Auburndale (boyfriend of Jeimylee) Charged: armed trafficking in cocaine,  racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, trafficking in fentanyl 14g or more, armed
trafficking in fentanyl 28g or more, possessing a structure for drugs with minor present (f1), use of firearm during commission of felony offense, unlawful use of 2-way communication device (f3), negligent child abuse
w/o bodily harm, possession of marijuana resin, possession of
oxycodone, possession of marijuana, possession of altered firearm, resisting without violence possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of prescription drug without prescription.
Luis Ramos Delgado, 48, Lakeland (boyfriend of Wilma)
Charged: racketeering), conspiracy to commit racketeering, trafficking in fentanyl 4g<14g, trafficking in fentanyl 14g<28g,
trafficking in fentanyl 28g or more (f1), and unlawful use of 2-way communication device.
     Wilma Fuentes Laureano, 56, Lakeland (girlfriend of Luis) Charged: conspiracy to commit racketeering, and trafficking in fentanyl 4g or more.

     Casimiro Bidot Del Valle, 59, Kissimmee (drug supplier to the organization)
Charged: trafficking in fentanyl 28g or more, trafficking in cocaine over 200 grams, possession of firearm by convicted felon, and possession of drug paraphernalia.