New Orleans, Houston Men Charged in Heroin Conspiracy

Six men face federal charges in a high-stakes heroin conspiracy that stretched across Louisiana and Texas. Juan Carlos Mosquera-Amari, 46, of New Orleans; Alexander Muriel-Diaz, 52, of Houston; Luis Ramos Gravedeperalta, 60, of Kenner; Carlos Alberto Gonzalez Valencia, 36, of Houston; Steven Duncan, 45, of Metairie; and Jose Antonio Valverde-Chacon, 37, of Houston were named in a one-count indictment for conspiracy to distribute heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846.

The indictment alleges the defendants conspired with one another and others between December 11, 2017, and February 27, 2018, to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin. Law enforcement sources describe the operation as a tightly coordinated network moving bulk quantities of the deadly opioid across state lines.

If convicted, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, with the possibility of life behind bars. They also risk a fine of up to $10,000,000, at least five years of supervised release following any prison term, and a mandatory $100 special assessment per defendant.

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans, who announced the charges, emphasized that an indictment is not a conviction. “The guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt,” Evans stated, underscoring the presumption of innocence under federal law as the case moves toward trial.

The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration, whose joint efforts dismantled the alleged network. Authorities have not disclosed whether additional arrests or charges are expected as the probe continues.

Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan L. Shih is prosecuting the case. Court dates have not yet been set, but the charges place the defendants squarely in the crosshairs of one of the region’s most aggressive federal drug enforcement efforts in recent years.

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