MIAMI, FL – The streets of Little Havana are a little less saturated with poison after two leaders and one associate of a brutal drug trafficking organization were handed lengthy federal sentences this week. Ulysses Cabrera, a/k/a “Uley,” a/k/a “Big Cuz,” 32, received 372 months in prison. His co-leader, Bernardo Quinonez, a/k/a “Macho,” 34, will spend 382 months behind bars. Victor Smith, a/k/a “OGP,” 26, got 330 months for his role in the operation. The sentences follow a nine-week trial that laid bare the organization’s reign of terror.
From 2013 to 2018, Cabrera and Quinonez ran a continuing criminal enterprise that flooded Little Havana with cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana. Cabrera reportedly supplied the drugs and oversaw the operation, while Quinonez managed the conversion of cocaine into crack within local residences. Smith, the street-level enforcer, handled the sales. But this wasn’t just about pushing product. The pair allegedly directed Smith and other armed associates to intimidate, maim, and even kill rivals and anyone who dared question their control. Innocent bystanders frequently found themselves caught in the crossfire, victims of stray bullets and escalating violence.
The jury found Cabrera guilty of one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, four counts of money laundering crimes, and four counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Quinonez faced an even longer list of charges: one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana, one count of conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of drive-by shooting, one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, three counts of money laundering, seven counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of maintaining an establishment to distribute controlled substances.
Smith’s conviction included one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, one count of conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, as well as one count of armed robbery and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The feds didn’t just nail them on drug charges; they proved a sophisticated money laundering scheme, including the purchase of real estate in Opa-Locka, used to conceal the profits of their illicit trade.
Law enforcement seized a significant arsenal during the investigation: approximately 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, several grams of crack cocaine, over 26 pounds of marijuana, four assault rifles, ten pistols, ten extended magazines, ten semi-automatic firearms, a short barrel rifle, a revolver, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. The collaborative effort bringing down this crew included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the FBI, the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), the City of Miami Police Department (MPD), and the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS).
U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez framed the case as a victory for Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime. But for the residents of Little Havana, the sentences are more than just a statistic. They represent a temporary reprieve from the violence and drug-fueled chaos that gripped their community for years. Whether these sentences will truly dismantle the organization or simply create a vacuum for another crew to fill remains to be seen. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this story.
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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