Woman among 15 charged in drug bust

POTTSTOWN » A Pottstown resident is among 15 people charged by the Pennsylvania Attorney General for alleged drug dealing.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro Friday announced felony charges against 15 persons for selling heroin and cocaine in Philadelphia and Montgomery counties in a drug ring that extended its criminal activities to Massachusetts as well.

Nakeshia Arnette, 37, of North Evans Street, Pottstown, was among the 15 suspects facing charges.

Over a six-month period in 2016, the drug dealers transported and sold approximately 4 kilograms of heroin valued at $700,000 and 5 kilograms of cocaine valued at $500,000. The dealers sold the drugs in Philadelphia and Montgomery County,

as well as Boston and Lawrence, Massachusetts.

“These dealers trafficked heroin and cocaine across state lines — and sold their drugs in Philadelphia and Montgomery County,” Shapiro said. “Today we’ve shut this band of drug dealers down. We will remain vigilant and merciless towards anyone peddling these poisons in our communities.”

A statewide investigating grand jury identified Julio “Papon” Martinez and his sister, Chislaine “Chile” Romero, as the primary targets of its investigation. Martinez and Romero obtained heroin and cocaine from various sources and then sold and directed others to sell the drugs to others in the Philadelphia region and Massachusetts.

On Nov. 30, 2016, Alvin Henandez Almanzar, a member of the Martinez drug operation, agreed to sell an undercover detective 400 grams of heroin. He enlisted the help of his supplier, a New York City heroin and cocaine distributor named Jose Calderon, to fill the order. When Almanzar and Calderon arrived at the meeting location to make the sale, they were arrested by undercover police officers.

Further investigation by law enforcement led to the seizure of various quantities of heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine and

one semi-automatic handgun at drug stash houses used by the Martinez operation.

Shapiro commended strong law enforcement collaboration across state and county lines. “I want to thank the Philadelphia Police Department, Pottstown Police Department, Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, Montgomery County Prison and Massachusetts State Police for their assistance in this investigation. Law enforcement collaboration makes our communities safer.”

“The opioid epidemic knows no state boundaries and we must work together to disrupt multistate trafficking networks,” said Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey. “I thank Attorney General Shapiro and his office for working closely with our State Police to go after these criminals who were bringing these deadly drugs into our communities.”

The following defendants are charged with corrupt organizations, violations of the controlled substance act, criminal conspiracy and related offenses:

• Julio “Papon” Rodrigues Martinez, age unknown, of Farnham Street, Lawrence, Massachusetts

• Chislaine “Chile” M. Herrera Romero, 31

• Alvin H. Almazar, 30, of Roosevelt Boulevard, Philadelphia

• Jose J. Calderon, 32, of Seymour Avenue, Bronx, New York

• Shelton Speaks, 27, of Ditman Street, Philadelphia

• Heidy Rafelina Dejesus Grullon, age unknown

• Samuel E. Pacheco-Torres, 32, of Revere Street, Philadelphia

• Jay Harris, 33, address undetermined

• Nakeshia Arnette, 37, of North Evans Street, Pottstown

• Julio Angel Solis-Huertas, 34, of Minor Street, Philadelphia

• Gemena Cameal Gopie, 34, of Devereaux Avenue, Philadelphia

• Yixcerini Rodriguez, 33, of Roosevelt Boulevard, Philadelphia

• Jennifer Solis, 32, of B Street, Philadelphia

• Bladimil Burgos-Ortiz, 41, of Revere Street, Philadelphia

• Ery H. Carrero-Sepulveda, 27, of B Street, Philadelphia

All the defendants were arraigned and held on $250,000 cash bail, pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for Jan. 3, 2018. These cases will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Georgia D. Barker.