United States of America v. Wuesley Pelaez Vela

Boston, Massachusetts, criminal defense lawyer Bryan Owens represented the Defendant charged with money laundering and conspiracy to distribute and poss with intent to distribute 200 grams or more of fentanyl.

In 2019, an investigation began into a Colombia-based money laundering organization that was laundering drug proceeds on behalf of multiple drug trafficking organizations. Between 2020 and 2022, Wuesley Pelaez Vela, age 34, of Tallahassee, Florida, coordinated with an undercover agent to conduct multiple pick-ups of drug proceeds to be paid out to drug suppliers in Mexico for the purpose of laundering the cash. In total, Pelaez Vela organized 13 money pickups totaling $1,127,573 in drug proceeds.

Additionally, in October 2021, Pelaez Vela instructed an undercover agent to purchase fentanyl, provided the undercover agent with photos of the pills and a code phrase to order the pills containing fentanyl. Two packages sent as part of this transaction, which contained over 600 grams of fentanyl, were subsequently seized.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.

The Defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to ine years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.