CASE UPDATE: Defendants Charged in $2.6 Million Philadelphia Heroin and Fentanyl Bust Held for Trial

March 29, 2018 | Topic: Criminal

HARRISBURG — Following the seizure last month of 250,000 doses of heroin and fentanyl from a North Philadelphia home, Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that the defendants charged as a result of the drug raid were ordered held for trial.

Cesar Guzman, 24, and Duagermy Sanchez-Rosario, 30, both of the 4300 block of N. 4th Street, Philadelphia, are charged with possession with intent to deliver, dealing in proceeds and criminal conspiracy, among other offenses. The house where the drug seizures and arrests took place is in the Feltonville neighborhood of Philadelphia.

“These drug dealers were trafficking an extraordinary amount of heroin, which they were mixing with fentanyl to make it even deadlier,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. “The drugs we seized would have created 250,000 doses of heroin and fentanyl to be sold and used on our city’s streets. That is 250,000 potential death sentences avoided.”

In addition to the large amount of heroin and fentanyl, investigators seized a loaded handgun, drug bags stamped “Demolition Man”, two scales, more than $6,500 in cash and other paraphernalia. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that the National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates to be 100 times more potent than morphine.

Attorney General Shapiro credited the drug seizures and arrests to strong law enforcement collaboration between the Philadelphia Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security.

The cases will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Daniel Sweeney.

Fighting the heroin and opioid epidemic has been Attorney General Shapiro’s number one priority since taking office one year ago. In an unrelated drug raid last September, Office of Attorney General agents arrested ten Philadelphia drug dealers and seized at least 10,000 bags of heroin and fentanyl in Summerdale – a few miles from the scene of last month’s arrests. Those defendants waived their preliminary hearings and are awaiting further proceedings in their cases.

# # #