An NYPD officer and her boyfriend were busted last week for allegedly conspiring to distribute drugs, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District of New York.
According to the investigation, officer Grace Rosa Baez, 37, and Cesar Martinez, 43, who lived in Yonkers, had “numerous conversations” about wholesale narcotics trafficking with a confidential source of the U.S. Attorney’s Office — specifically the sale of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine. In one of these conversations, Baez allegedly told the source she could sell them two kilograms of fentanyl for $30,000 each, and the pair could negotiate the price of an additional 400 grams of heroin.
According to the investigation, Baez, from the Bronx, and the source agreed to meet for multiple drug deals, including one where Baez passed the source a bag of white powder inside of a Mentos gum container. It was later confirmed that the powder was tested and contained fentanyl. The source also negotiated at least one deal with Martinez.
The announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District of New York did not specify how they were able to gain the confidential source in the case. But the announcement states that Baez and Martinez were ultimately arrested on Thursday, Oct. 19, and that investigators found packages of narcotics that had been thrown outside their Yonkers apartment — as well as a kilogram press.
“Grace Rosa Baez took an oath to protect and serve the people of New York City,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said. “As alleged, she flagrantly violated that oath by pushing poison, including fentanyl and heroin, which are driving the nation’s deadly opioid crisis and have been responsible for thousands of tragic deaths in this city and around the nation.”
From 2012 to the date of her arrest, Baez was employed as a police officer with the NYPD. According to the announcement, the NYPD began investigating her in 2020 for accusations of misconduct before putting her on “modified duty.” During the time she was allegedly conspiring to distribute narcotics this month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office states that she was “assigned to modified desk duty at a particular NYPD facility.”
According to the investigation, she engaged in some of this conduct while she was on duty as well.
Baez and Martinez face multiple charges — including count one with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and heroin, and counts two, three and four with narcotics distribution. Counts one and four carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison to a maximum of life, and counts two and three carry a maximum of 20 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Reach Camille Botello at cbotello@schnepsmedia.com. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
