Quincy raid nets five on fentanyl charges
A police raid of a Quincy apartment where a 3-month-old baby was found turned up enough fentanyl to potentially kill hundreds of people, authorities said.
Police stormed the Copeland Street home Tuesday about 10:45 a.m. after a two-month investigation, breaking down the door when they heard “scurrying” inside, Norfolk prosecutor John Looney said.
Detectives seized about 57 grams of fentanyl in clear plastic bags on and under the coffee table, authorities said, along with 33 grams of cocaine, some prescription medications, and $2,688 in cash.
Quincy police Lt. Detective Patrick Glynn told the Herald 57 grams of fentanyl would have the potential to kill “hundreds.” He said fentanyl-related arrests in the city have more than doubled — from about 30 or 35 in 2016 to more than 70 already this year.
“It’s dramatically up when it comes to fentanyl,” Glynn said. “Any amount of fentanyl can be lethal and it’s being introduced into heroin, cocaine. We’ve even seen it being introduced into marijuana.”
Suspects Giovanni Bautista, 24, and Justin Reyes, 18, were ordered held on $250,000 bail each on charges of trafficking fentanyl and cocaine, along with other drug charges. A $10,000 bail was set for Jennie Rodriguez, 28, of Quincy, which her attorney said she posted.
Bail on California resident Luis Bautista, 27, and Christian Marrero-Santana, 22, who just moved to Boston from Puerto Rico, was set at $5,000. All five defendants face similar drug charges. Giovanni Bautista and Rodriguez are also charged with reckless endangerment of a child.
The Department of Children and Families was notified and placed the 3-month-old and an 8-year-old child of Rodriguez — who was not home at the time of the raid — in the custody of Rodriguez’s sister, Rodriguez’s defense attorney Paula O’Brien-Killion said.
All five defendants are due back in court Dec. 14. Giovanni Bautista’s bail was revoked on an open case out of Dedham for receiving a stolen motor vehicle.
Rodriguez’s attorney claimed her client knew nothing about the drugs stored by Bautista, who is the father of the infant. Luis Bautista’s lawyer claimed his client was visiting his brother and their sick mother. Marrero-Santana’s lawyer said his client was just crashing at the apartment after fleeing Hurricane Maria.
Attorney Kathleen Fay called Reyes, a junior at Dedham High School, a “good boy” and said he was not home during the raid. But Looney said police had already arrested Reyes nearby after a traffic stop and suspected drug transaction.