OCALA, FL – Justice, slow and brutal, is coming for Jose Carbajal, Edward Camacho, and Jose Lugo. The trio of federal inmates pleaded guilty this week to retaliating against a government witness and conspiracy to do so, stemming from a savage jailhouse assault last December. Each faces a potential 20-year stretch on each count, meaning a combined maximum sentence of four decades for the coordinated attack.
The groundwork for the beating was laid in November 2024, when Jose Carbajal (35, Palm Springs, CA) received a 40-year sentence for drug and money laundering conspiracies. Carbajal, a prolific trafficker, had been funneling massive quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl from California to associates operating within the Middle District of Florida. His operation relied on information from cooperating sources – including the now-targeted Witness 1 – to stay afloat. That cooperation would come at a steep price.
On December 26, 2024, while awaiting transport to a federal prison to begin serving his sentence, Carbajal found himself in the Seminole County Jail. A clerical error placed Witness 1 in the same housing unit. Carbajal didn’t hesitate. Within minutes, he allegedly recruited fellow inmates Edward Camacho (21, Winter Garden) and Jose Lugo (41, Kissimmee) to join him in a brutal act of retribution. The three stalked Witness 1, who was seated at a table with his back exposed.
The attack was relentless. Carbajal, Camacho, and Lugo descended upon Witness 1, knocking him to the ground and unleashing a barrage of punches, kicks, and stomps. The assault didn’t stop there. Carbajal grabbed a jail-issued telephone and used it as a weapon, further battering the defenseless witness. Only after a grueling one-and-a-half minutes did detention deputies intervene, halting the beating just as Carbajal snapped a broomstick over Witness 1’s head and back. The jail’s walls then echoed with incriminating phone calls made by the attackers, solidifying their motive and coordinated involvement.
This wasn’t a spontaneous outburst. This was a calculated act of violence intended to silence a witness and intimidate others. Camacho is already serving a 4-year, 3-month federal sentence for a separate offense, while Lugo is currently incarcerated on a 7-year, 8-month sentence. Their participation in this attack will undoubtedly add to their time. The investigation was spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie K. Boyer is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of a larger Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, a multi-agency initiative designed to dismantle major criminal organizations. OCDETF, led by prosecutors and fueled by intelligence, aims to disrupt the flow of illicit drugs and money across the nation. More information on the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF. Sentencing dates for Carbajal, Camacho, and Lugo have not yet been set, but Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and bring you the latest updates from the Florida federal courts.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime|Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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