Fugitive ‘El Burro’ Arrested in Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico – In a major breakthrough in the fight against drug trafficking, Nelson Torres-Delgado, a.k.a. ‘El Burro’, was arrested today in the municipality of Lajas, PR, on criminal charges related to his alleged drug trafficking and violent crimes charges in three different indictments since 2017.
Torres-Delgado, 37, was charged with drug trafficking, firearms violations, money laundering, and multiple drug-related murders. He was the leader of a violent drug trafficking organization in Caguas and other areas, since the early 2010s. His methods of avoiding capture while controlling his gang included limited face-to-face contact to only the highest and most trusted leaders in his organization.
According to court documents, Torres-Delgado maintained control over the criminal organization as a fugitive through deadly violence and intimidation, and by engaging in violent turf wars against rival drug trafficking organizations. He had been a federal fugitive since 2017.
“As alleged in the indictments, Torres-Delgado was the leader of a violent, armed criminal enterprise that he controlled even as a fugitive from justice since 2017. Thanks to the tenacious efforts and collaboration of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors, he now will face justice in a United States courtroom in Puerto Rico,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
Torres-Delgado is charged with drug trafficking, firearms violations, money laundering, and multiple drug-related murders. If convicted, Torres-Delgado faces up to life in prison, with the possibility of the death penalty for certain offenses. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This arrest was led by the FBI, Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), ATF, and the United States Marshals Service (USMS). Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Gang Section Alberto López-Rocafort, Deputy Chief of the Gang Section, AUSA Teresa Zapata-Valladares, and AUSAs R. Vance Eaton and Héctor Siaca Flores are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Defendant: Nelson Torres-Delgado
Criminal Charges: Drug trafficking, firearms violations, money laundering, and multiple drug-related murders
City and State: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Arrest Date: (Current date)
Sentence: Up to life in prison, with the possibility of the death penalty for certain offenses
Case History:
Torres-Delgado’s first indictment in Crim. Case No. 17-621 was issued on December 8, 2017, where he was charged in a conspiracy with 43 other individuals with drug trafficking and firearms violations. The second indictment was issued by a grand jury on May 20, 2019, in Crim. Case No. 19-307 where he was charged with 25 other individuals also with drug trafficking and firearms violations. The third indictment pending against Torres-Delgado was issued on August 21, 2024, in Crim. Case 23-273, where he was charged in a conspiracy with 51 other individuals with drug trafficking, firearms violations, and drug-related murders.
Key Facts
- State: Puerto Rico
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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