Alexis Candelario Santana (born 1972) is a Puerto Rican convicted criminal and former leader of a drug cartel. In March 2013, he was sentenced for the 2009 deaths of nine persons, including an unborn girl, and the attempted murders of 19 others during the 2009 Sabana Seca massacre.[1] The Court of Appeals for the First Circuit later ordered a retrial.[2] On July 21, 2023, he was found guilty following a retrial.[3]
Candelario Santana's criminal record links him to multiple crimes committed since about 1991. Starting in 1996, the organization he led allegedly trafficked marijuana, cocaine, heroin and crack drugs.
Together with Braulio "Menor" Rodriguez, Candelario Santana formed a cartel known as the Palo de Goma drug point. The cartel controlled much of the drug sales in the area, until Candelario Santana flew to Michigan in order to avoid arrest by the Puerto Rican police, leaving Carmelo Rondon Feliciano and Candelario Santana's cousin, Wilfredo Semprit Santana, as the cartel's figureheads.[4]
Candelario Santana was eventually arrested,[5] flown back to Puerto Rico and convicted in 2003 of ordering or committing himself twelve murders, for which he was jailed until 2009.[6]
A few months after Candelario Santana was released, the 2009 La Tombola massacre occurred in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. Following Candelario Santana's 2003 jailing, control of the drug trade in Toa Baja went to other people, and Candelario Santana suspected the owners of La Tombola, a new bar about to open in the city of Toa Baja, to be among the persons now in charge of his old business. Allegedly Candelario Santana planned executing them before he left prison.
La Tombola was a bar in Toa Baja which had been closed, then re-opened under ownership of Wilfredo Semprit Santana, some two weeks before the shooting took place.
On Saturday, October 17, 2009, about 11:45 PM, there were some 100 people at and around La Tombola, celebrating the bar's inauguration and re-opening, including those inside the bar as well as many who were lined up in front of a vending cart to buy food just outside La Tombola, as well as a nine-year-old girl who was at an unspecified spot outside the bar and three members of a girl music group named Bomba Swing, who had come as paid entertainment to the inauguration.[7]
Nine people died during the violent act, including an unborn baby girl, her mother, a singer and member of Bomba Swing and Candelario Santana's godson, who was allegedly shot by Candelario Santana himself. 19 others, including the young girl outside the bar, were injured but survived.
Arrest and trialEdit
Candelario Santana went into hiding immediately and the Puerto Rican police initially had difficulty finding him.[8] He had gone to St. Thomas island in the United States Virgin Islands, where he was arrested on the night of November 16 and then flown back to Puerto Rico.
On March 8, 2013, Candelario Santana and David Oquendo Rivas were convicted by a federal judge; in Candelario Santana's case, he was convicted of a total of 40 counts in various crimes, all committed during the La Tombola massacre. He was eligible for the death penalty, but on March 23, a jury viewing his case did not reach a unanimity in voting for the death penalty for Candelario Santana, therefore, he was sentenced to life in prison.[9] On August 23, 2017 the federal court ordered a new trial seeking the death penalty for both defendants starting with jury selection on August 1, 2018.[2] On July 21, 2023, Candelario Santana was found guilty following a retrial.[3] He is given BOP# 53550-424 and incarcerated at USP Marion
ReferencesEdit
^"Puerto Rico Man Sentenced to Life in Prison in 2009 Mass Shooting". Archives.fbi.gov. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
^ ab"Alexis Candelario pudiera enfrentarse otra vez con la muerte". Primera Hora. October 14, 2018.
^ ab"Puerto Rico man found guilty of killing 8 at bar owned by rival drug trafficker following retrial". AP NEWS. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
^"FindLaw's United States First Circuit case and opinions". Findlaw. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
^. www.cbp.gov. Archived from the original on 6 April 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
^"Condena de 21 años de cárcel al exsocio de Alexis Candelario". Primerahora.com. 12 April 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
^"Lluvia de balas y sangre en Toa Baja". El Nuevo Dia. 19 October 2009. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
^"Responde Sabana Seca". El Nuevo Dia. 21 October 2009. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
^"Puerto Rico Man Sentenced to Life in Prison in 2009 Mass Shooting". FBI.
October 22, 2023
alexis, candelario, santana, born, 1972, puerto, rican, convicted, criminal, former, leader, drug, cartel, march, 2013, sentenced, 2009, deaths, nine, persons, including, unborn, girl, attempted, murders, others, during, 2009, sabana, seca, massacre, court, ap. Alexis Candelario Santana born 1972 is a Puerto Rican convicted criminal and former leader of a drug cartel In March 2013 he was sentenced for the 2009 deaths of nine persons including an unborn girl and the attempted murders of 19 others during the 2009 Sabana Seca massacre 1 The Court of Appeals for the First Circuit later ordered a retrial 2 On July 21 2023 he was found guilty following a retrial 3 Contents 1 Biography 2 Massacre 3 Arrest and trial 4 ReferencesBiography EditThis section of a biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification Please help by adding reliable sources Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page especially if potentially libelous Find sources Alexis Candelario Santana news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message Candelario Santana s criminal record links him to multiple crimes committed since about 1991 Starting in 1996 the organization he led allegedly trafficked marijuana cocaine heroin and crack drugs Together with Braulio Menor Rodriguez Candelario Santana formed a cartel known as the Palo de Goma drug point The cartel controlled much of the drug sales in the area until Candelario Santana flew to Michigan in order to avoid arrest by the Puerto Rican police leaving Carmelo Rondon Feliciano and Candelario Santana s cousin Wilfredo Semprit Santana as the cartel s figureheads 4 Candelario Santana was eventually arrested 5 flown back to Puerto Rico and convicted in 2003 of ordering or committing himself twelve murders for which he was jailed until 2009 6 Massacre EditMain article 2009 Sabana Seca massacre A few months after Candelario Santana was released the 2009 La Tombola massacre occurred in Toa Baja Puerto Rico Following Candelario Santana s 2003 jailing control of the drug trade in Toa Baja went to other people and Candelario Santana suspected the owners of La Tombola a new bar about to open in the city of Toa Baja to be among the persons now in charge of his old business Allegedly Candelario Santana planned executing them before he left prison La Tombola was a bar in Toa Baja which had been closed then re opened under ownership of Wilfredo Semprit Santana some two weeks before the shooting took place On Saturday October 17 2009 about 11 45 PM there were some 100 people at and around La Tombola celebrating the bar s inauguration and re opening including those inside the bar as well as many who were lined up in front of a vending cart to buy food just outside La Tombola as well as a nine year old girl who was at an unspecified spot outside the bar and three members of a girl music group named Bomba Swing who had come as paid entertainment to the inauguration 7 Nine people died during the violent act including an unborn baby girl her mother a singer and member of Bomba Swing and Candelario Santana s godson who was allegedly shot by Candelario Santana himself 19 others including the young girl outside the bar were injured but survived Arrest and trial EditCandelario Santana went into hiding immediately and the Puerto Rican police initially had difficulty finding him 8 He had gone to St Thomas island in the United States Virgin Islands where he was arrested on the night of November 16 and then flown back to Puerto Rico On March 8 2013 Candelario Santana and David Oquendo Rivas were convicted by a federal judge in Candelario Santana s case he was convicted of a total of 40 counts in various crimes all committed during the La Tombola massacre He was eligible for the death penalty but on March 23 a jury viewing his case did not reach a unanimity in voting for the death penalty for Candelario Santana therefore he was sentenced to life in prison 9 On August 23 2017 the federal court ordered a new trial seeking the death penalty for both defendants starting with jury selection on August 1 2018 2 On July 21 2023 Candelario Santana was found guilty following a retrial 3 He is given BOP 53550 424 and incarcerated at USP MarionReferences Edit Puerto Rico Man Sentenced to Life in Prison in 2009 Mass Shooting Archives fbi gov Retrieved 17 April 2018 a b Alexis Candelario pudiera enfrentarse otra vez con la muerte Primera Hora October 14 2018 a b Puerto Rico man found guilty of killing 8 at bar owned by rival drug trafficker following retrial AP NEWS Retrieved July 21 2023 FindLaw s United States First Circuit case and opinions Findlaw Retrieved 17 April 2018 Alexis Candelario Arrested on Armed Career Criminal Charges U S Customs and Border Protection www cbp gov Archived from the original on 6 April 2018 Retrieved 17 April 2018 Condena de 21 anos de carcel al exsocio de Alexis Candelario Primerahora com 12 April 2013 Retrieved 17 April 2018 Lluvia de balas y sangre en Toa Baja El Nuevo Dia 19 October 2009 Retrieved 17 April 2018 Responde Sabana Seca El Nuevo Dia 21 October 2009 Retrieved 17 April 2018 Puerto Rico Man Sentenced to Life in Prison in 2009 Mass Shooting FBI Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alexis Candelario Santana amp oldid 1166472381, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
