Julio Rodríguez-Febres, Possession of a Machinegun, Puerto Rico 2019

Related Federal Cases

Gun Violence Summit, Puerto Rico 2024 · Puerto Rico
Aldrin Manuel Lara-Martínez, Foreign Murder, Puerto Rico 2023 · Puerto Rico
Joseph Payne-Pabón, Carjacking, Puerto Rico 2020 · Arkansas
Joseph Payne-Pabón, Carjacking Murder, Puerto Rico 2020 · Alabama
Border Patrol Agent Targeted: Dominican National Arrested in Puerto Rico · Alabama

Table of Contents

Machinegun Possession Leads to Arrests in Isla Verde

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On January 6, 2019, a shooting occurred at Zokku’s Lounge Restaurant in Isla Verde, resulting in the death of at least one individual. The violence continued as at least eight people exchanged gunfire, killing another man.

According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Police of Puerto Rico Bureau (PRPD), two men, Julio Rodríguez-Febres and Angel Luis Olmos-Vargas, were involved in the shooting. Rodríguez-Febres is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, while Olmos-Vargas faces a count of possession of a machinegun.

Assistant United States Attorneys Alberto Lopez and Vanessa Bonhomme are leading the prosecution of the case. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum of 10 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez praised the joint efforts of state and federal law enforcement agencies, saying, ‘Today’s arrests should serve as a clear warning to those who think they own our streets. We will not rest until our citizens feel safe again.’

ATF Special Agent in Charge, Ari C. Shapira, added, ‘These arrests demonstrate that the federal government will not turn a blind eye to criminality in Puerto Rico and we will not tolerate the delinquency that impacts the lives of all people in Puerto Rico.’

The public is reminded that a criminal complaint is not evidence of guilt, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise. The investigation is ongoing, with state authorities pursuing additional charges for murder and other state violations.