Westchester Man, NYPD Cop Arrested For Distributing Fentanyl, Heroin

YONKERS, NY — A potentially deadly drug trafficking scheme involving a Yonkers man and his girlfriend, an NYPD officer, was broken up by the FBI and the NYPD.

Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the NY Field Office of the FBI, and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the NYPD, announced on Friday the filing of a complaint in Manhattan federal court charging 43-year-old Cesar Martinez, of Yonkers, and 37-year-old Grace Rosa Baez, a Bronx resident and a member of the NYPD until her arrest, with conspiracy to distribute narcotics and distribution of narcotics. The were were arrested on Thursday and were presented Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge James L. Cott.

"Grace Rosa Baez took an oath to protect and serve the people of New York City," 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. My Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue those peddling these deadly poisons — no matter who they are."

According to federal court documents, from Oct. 9, through Oct. 19, Baez and Martinez had several conversations about wholesale narcotics trafficking with a confidential source working with law enforcement. During those conversations, Baez and Martinez offered to sell the confidential source kilogram quantities of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine.

On Oct 19, the confidential informant and Baez met in Yonkers to complete the narcotics deal. Baez handed the source packages containing suspected narcotics, including what appeared to be one kilogram of suspected heroin, which was labeled "#1"; 400 grams of suspected heroin, which was labeled "400"; 640 grams of suspected fentanyl, which was labeled "640 MANZANA"; and a separate sample of suspected fentanyl, as shown below, according to prosecutors.

"Baez and Martinez allegedly took part in a conspiracy to distribute dangerous narcotics on the streets of our city," Smith said. "This is a direct violation of the oath Baez took to protect and serve. The FBI along with our partners in law enforcement will continue to investigate and hold responsible anyone who endangers our community through narcotics sales."

On Oct. 11, Baez told the confidential source that she could sell the source two kilograms of fentanyl for $30,000 per kilogram, could sell the source an additional 400 grams of heroin with pricing to be decided upon later, and also agreed to provide the source with a fentanyl sample, according to the charges. Baez told the source that the fentanyl was high quality and told the source to meet her on Oct.16, to obtain a sample of the drugs for sale, prosecutors said.

On Oct. 16, Baez and the confidential source met in Yonkers, near Baez and Martinez’s shared apartment, according to the charging documents. During the meeting, Baez handed the source a plastic Mentos candy container and said that the sample of fentanyl was inside, prosecutors said. As shown in the photo below, the container had a small, clear bag filled with a white powdery substance, which was later tested and confirmed to contain fentanyl, according to evidence presented to the court.

On Oct. 17, Baez told the source that she had a sample of heroin ready and asked the confidential source to meet her in Yonkers, investigators said. During the meeting, Baez handed the source a clear plastic bag filled with a white powdery substance, which was later tested and confirmed to contain heroin, according to law enforcement officials. Baez told the source that she had more heroin available to sell and that she would provide the source's phone number to her boyfriend, Martinez, the charging documents contend.

Later that day, Martinez called the confidential source and negotiated the sale of around one kilogram of heroin and 800 grams of fentanyl, according to the indictment. Martinez added that he would have cocaine for sale in the next few weeks, according to investigators. Later that evening, Martinez told the source that on Oct. 19, Martinez and Baez would be able to sell the source one kilogram of heroin for around $25,000 and an additional 800 grams of fentanyl with pricing to be decided upon later, investigators said. Martinez told the informant to test the purity of the fentanyl and then pay Baez and Martinez based on the quality, according to the documents.

On Oct. 18, Baez and Martinez continued to discuss narcotics deals with the confidential source, including price negotiations, according to court records. Baez and Martinez told the source that they would also sell the source around 400 grams of a lower quality heroin and an additional fentanyl sample, prosecutors contend.

After arresting Baez, law enforcement searched Baez and Martinez’s shared apartment and report finding a package of suspected narcotics being thrown outside the apartment. They also found a kilogram press machine, and additional suspected narcotics that Martinez tried to throw outside, according to the complaint.

Until the date of her arrest, Baez had been employed as an NYPD police officer. She began her employment with the NYPD in approximately 2012. In 2020, after accusations of misconduct, the NYPD began investigating Baez, who was eventually placed on modified duty. As of October, she had been assigned to modified desk duty.

Persecutors said Baez conducted several of the offenses in the complaint while on duty. For example, officials said while she was on duty, she communicated with the source regarding where to meet to discuss the drug sales, negotiated the price and quality of the fentanyl and arranged to deliver a sample of fentanyl to the source, and negotiated the final delivery with the source.

"These charges are extremely troubling because there is no place for corruption within the NYPD," Caban said. "If found guilty of these allegations, this officer will have tarnished the shield that she wore, as well as her sacred oath to New Yorkers. She and her co-defendant will certainly be held to the highest account provided by the law."

Baez and Martinez are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and heroin and three counts of narcotics distribution. The charges carry a minimum of 10 years to a maximum of life in prison.