NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – An NYPD officer and a man she shared an apartment with were arrested for allegedly distributing fentanyl and heroin on Friday, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said.
Grace Rosa Baez, 37, and Cesar Martinez, 43, were arrested on charges of conspiracy to distribute narcotics and distribution of narcotics.
“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.”
Baez, a resident of the Bronx, had served as a police officer with the NYPD for over ten years.
In 2020, the NYPD initiated an investigation into allegations of misconduct against Baez. She was placed on modified duty.
From approximately Oct. 9 to Oct. 19, Baez and Martinez had conversations with a confidential source working with law enforcement about wholesale narcotics trafficking.
During those discussions, Baez and Martinez allegedly offered to sell the confidential source kilogram quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine.
An example of an incident was around Oct. 11, where Baez told the 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 that would be negotiated later, and even agreed to provide the source with a sample of the fentanyl, according to prosecutors.
Baez told the source that the fentanyl was top quality and directed that the source meet her on or about Oct. 16, to get a sample of the drugs available for sale, prosecutors said.
They allegedly met up in Yonkers near Baez and Martinez’s shared apartment. During the meeting, Baez handed the source a plastic candy container and told the source that there was fentanyl inside, according to officials.
The bottle contained a small, clear bag filled with a white powdery substance, which was later tested and confirmed to contain fentanyl.
Around Oct. 17, Baez told the source that she also had a sample of heroin ready and asked to meet her in Yonkers. During their meeting, Baez allegedly handed the source a clear plastic bag filled with a white powdery substance, which was later tested and confirmed to contain heroin.
Later on, Baez told the source that she had more heroin available for sale and that she would give the source’s phone number to her boyfriend, Martinez, prosecutors said.
Martinez then allegedly called the source and negotiated the sale of approximately one kilogram of heroin and 800 grams of fentanyl. He then told the source that they could sell the source one kilogram of heroin for approximately $25,000 and additional fentanyl.
Later on, Baez and Martinez allegedly continued to discuss narcotics transactions with the source, including negotiations over pricing. They later sold the source more packs of labeled suspected heroin and fentanyl.
After Baez was arrested, officers went to the suspects' shared apartment and saw a package of narcotics being thrown from inside the apartment to the outside.
Inside the apartment, police found a kilogram press machine, as well as more narcotics.
Up to her arrest, Baez has been with the NYPD since 2012.
Baez and Martinez are charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and heroin and with narcotics distribution.