Two Bronx men were sentenced Wednesday to 29 months in prison each for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl to customers in New Jersey.
Eddy Urena Rodriguez, 36, and Francisco Mercedes Gil, 33, both of the Bronx, previously pleaded guilty in a New Jersey federal court to informations charging them with one count of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl.
Dilson Vazquez Genao, 25, also of the Bronx, was sentenced on the same charge last month to 29 months in prison.
Two other individuals – Jhan Carlos Capellan Maldonado, 31, and Reimon Genao Rosario, 23, were indicted on the same charge in August 2019. Their cases are pending.
According to the investigation, in early February 2019, law enforcement officers learned that Maldonado used an apartment in the Bronx to store, mix and package heroin and fentanyl in distribution quantities. Maldonado employed Genao, Gil, Rodriguez, Daury Contreras Ulerio and Rosario, to assist in preparing the heroin and fentanyl for distribution to customers in New Jersey. Jose Vasquez Pena lived at the apartment in order to safeguard the narcotics and narcotics supplies.
On Feb. 25, 2019, officers saw Maldonado drive to a retail store and emerge with several full shopping bags and then drive to the apartment. Genoa came out of the building and met with Maldonado, who got out of his vehicle and gave Genoa the plastic shopping bags. Through its investigation, law enforcement learned that the plastic shopping bags contained materials to package heroin and fentanyl.
Genoa went back inside the building and was followed by law enforcement, who watched as Genoa entered Maldonado’s apartment with a key, still carrying the shopping bags. On Feb. 27, 2019, law enforcement searched Maldonado’s apartment and found seven individuals inside: including Genao, Gil, Rodriguez, Ulerio, Rosario, Maldonado and Pena.
All seven defendants attempted to escape out a window in the bedroom. All but one — Rosario — were apprehended and arrested. Rosario was arrested at a later date. Law enforcement recovered nearly a kilogram of fentanyl from the apartment, along with materials to grind and package fentanyl for distribution.
