BRONX, NY — Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced the indictment of two Bronx residents, Edgardo Rivera, 49, and Francisco Edua-Robles, 38, for their involvement in selling fentanyl misrepresented as heroin. The individuals face charges including second-degree Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance and second-degree Conspiracy, among other related charges.
The indictment follows a series of undercover operations conducted by NYPD Bronx Narcotics between May and October 2023, which led to 15 controlled purchases from the defendants. Notably, on four occasions, purchases exceeded 500 glassines of fentanyl each. An arrest made on October 11, 2023, resulted in the seizure of approximately 1,000 glassines of fentanyl from a vehicle used by the defendants on Harrison Avenue. Throughout the investigation, around 5,000 glassines of fentanyl, with an estimated street value of $50,000, were confiscated.
Rivera was arraigned before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Kim Parker on February 23, 2024, and is expected to return to court on March 4, 2024. Edua-Robles awaits arraignment. District Attorney Clark highlighted the significant risk of overdose deaths associated with fentanyl in the Bronx and emphasized the importance of the operation in preventing further harm to the community.