US Attorney Gets Philly Drug Dealer 51 Years In Federal Prison
by Alex Lloyd Gross
Pennsylvania Attorney General Jacqueline Romero was able to put a convicted drug dealer behind bars for 51 years. Effectively, a life sentence. Luis Algarin-Torres, 34, of Philadelphia, PA also tried to have a witness killed, Romero said.
On March 10, 2018, Drug Enforcement Administration agents executed a search at the defendant’s home on the 4000 block of North Reese Street in Philadelphia. In a hidden compartment above a kitchen ceiling light fixture, agents found more than $28,000 in cash, 34 grams of cocaine, and a loaded firearm that had been modified to fire automatically. Prior to trial, the defendant pleaded guilty to a number of narcotics offenses, including possession of the 34 grams of cocaine with intent to distribute, and pleaded not guilty to two gun charges.
On March 31, 2023, after a three-day trial on those charges, the jury found the defendant guilty of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The jury further found that the firearm had been modified to fire automatically. The evidence also showed that while awaiting trial, the defendant recruited another inmate to try to kill a witness who was scheduled to testify against the defendant.
“Luis Algarin-Torres received a very long prison sentence because he’s a career offender and very dangerous man,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “For years, this large-scale drug trafficker helped flood Philadelphia with poison, and after he was arrested for it, tried to have a witness killed to better his chances at trial. Putting violent criminals like this out of business and behind bars makes our community a safer place.”
“Algarin-Torres was convicted at trial on federal drug and firearms charges, to include a firearm that was modified to fire automatically,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “Of particular concern was that in addition to his drug and firearms charges, the evidence showed that Algarin-Torres attempted to orchestrate the murder of a federal witness that was scheduled to testify against him at trial. Let this 51-year prison sentence be a message that anyone who seeks to intimidate or harm a witness will face severe consequences in federal court.”