Greensboro, NC – Two Orange County men were arrested on Thursday, November 17, 2021, for possession of eight kilograms of cocaine.
According to court documents, Epifanio Martinez Rodriguez (40) and Felipe Carranza Rivera (30), both Mexican citizens residing in the United States illegally, were arrested after a Confidential Source (CS) working with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office participated in a controlled purchase of eight kilograms of cocaine on November 17, 2021. Investigators agreed to meet the suspects in Mebane after the CS communicated with Rodriguez and Rivera on social media about purchasing cocaine.
Rodriguez and Rivera are each charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted, they each face a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office, with the Drug Enforcement Administration, are investigating the case. U.S. Attorney Sandra Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina made the announcement, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. DeFranco is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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