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David Arroyo, 27; Miguel Jorge-Ortiz, 35; Neil Perez, 29; and Jose Guzman, 49, all of Philadelphia, were arrested on Sept. 13, according to a Tuesday, Oct. 29 news release from the Chester County District Attorney's Office.
Curtis Lake, 50, of Philadelphia, was arrested at a later date, the news release states.
These arrests involved multiple law enforcement agencies executing 12 search warrants at nine different locations and on three vehicles after a year-long investigation into the trafficking of fentanyl within both Philadelphia and Chester counties, according to the news release.
Investigators seized approximately 1.5 kilograms of bulk fentanyl, 2 kilograms of bulk cocaine, $25,000 in cash, two assault rifles, three handguns, and over 1,500 baggies of packaged fentanyl, the news release states. Police also discovered a full-scale fentanyl-packaging operation.
The investigation began after heroin/fentanyl bearing the "Bad Bunny" stamp was found at the scene of a fentanyl overdose death in Phoenixville Borough in 2023, according to the news release.
A number of drug dealers were implicated in the investigation and were arrested and charged prior to the current arrests, including Mousa Hawa and Herman "Pluck" McMullen, the news release states. Authorities seized more than $250,000 worth of drugs, guns, and other assets.
This was a joint investigation conducted by the Chester County Detectives High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Unit and the Philadelphia Police Department Narcotics Field Unit East, according to the news release. The federal Drug Enforcement Agency and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms assisted along with Pennsylvania State Police and local police from Phoenixville, Caln, and Parkesburg.
All five men were each charged with 12 or more counts of Manufacture, Delivery, or Possession With Intent to Manufacture or Deliver; one count of Corrupt Organizations; and related drug charges, according to court documents. Curtis Lake was also charged with one count of Drug Delivery Resulting in Death.
They are all being held in Chester County Prison with bail set at $100,000 for Guzman, Perez, and Jorge-Ortiz; $150,000 for Arroyo; and $750,000 for Lake, court documents state. Preliminary hearings are scheduled for all five men on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
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