4 South Florida men charged in heroin trafficking ring

FORT LAUDERADLE, Fla. - Three Broward County, Fla., residents and one Miami resident were indicted on seven counts of narcotics trafficking for their participation in a conspiracy to possess and distribute multi-kilogram quantities of heroin, following an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and other federal, state and local agencies.

Indicted in the Southern District of Florida are Jose Wilson Ayala, aka "Junito," aka "Juanito," aka "Juni," aka "Junior," 35, of Davie, Fla.; Jose Alonso Escobar, aka "Colombia," aka "Flaco," 28, of Miami; Juan Luis Sanchez Valdez, 43, of Hollywood, Fla.; and Marko Roude, 28, of Davie, Fla.

The indictment charges all four with conspiracy to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin from March 2009 through Oct. 14. They are also charged with a number of individual counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin on specific dates. In addition, the indictment seeks the forfeiture of four vehicles used to facilitate the illegal narcotics trafficking and property constituting or derived from the proceeds of the defendants' drug trafficking.

If convicted, the defendants face a minimum of 10 years to life on the conspiracy charge, a minimum of five years to 40 years on count seven and up to 20 years on the remaining counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Court Judge James I. Cohn.

The investigation was conducted by ICE HSI in Ft. Lauderdale, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Miami Field Division, Hollywood Police Department, Davie Police Department, Miramar Police Department, Miami-Dade Police Department, Broward County Sheriff's Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP).

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Millien.

An indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty