Livo Valdez, Jaslin Baldera, Frederick Baldera, Frandi Ledema, Diego Tejada and Parfraimy Antonio were arrested in the Bronx apartment base for the $7 Million fentanyl drug distribution operation and arrested on Monday.
Due to New York State’s new criminal justice law, or bail reform law, all six suspects have been released from custody with no bail, despite the fact that they were all formerly charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance as well as criminally using drug paraphernalia.
“None of the defendants are eligible for bail,” Assistant District Attorney Michael Di Paolo said in the court hearing.
A New York Drug Enforcement Task Force found the six suspects in the apartment during the raid on Sedgwick Avenue in Kingsbridge allegedly used as a mill for heroin.
When the task force raided the apartment, all six suspects were found weighing out and packaging heroin into envelops stamped with the word ‘fire.’ These bags were scattered all over the apartment, and overflowing from boxes the authorities found throughout the apartment.
Authorities believe that this one mill in the Bronx was the main distribution hub for the streets of not only New York but the whole of New England.
As a part of their release the suspects were still required to turn over their passports due to the fact that most of them have international ties, particularly to the Dominican Republic. They are due back for their court dates on February 27th.
At the court hearing that was held on Wednesday, supporters who showed up to witness the outcome of this huge drug bust were seen waving in celebration of the verdict as all six suspects walked out of the courtroom with no bail.
