FOUR ARRESTED IN ALLEGED MONTAUK DRUG RING

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced the arrests of four defendants, Angel Garces-Diaz, Anuedy Garces-Medrano, Yadaris Baez-Rivera and Everado Hernandez, on Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance charges.

“From Babylon to Montauk and every place in between, every community is unfortunately affected by the scourge of these drugs that are becoming increasingly more deadly. Wherever these dangerous drugs are being sold in our county, the Suffolk County law enforcement community will act to hold those responsible,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Thanks to our great partnership through our East End Drug Task Force with our East End police agencies, the Suffolk County Police Department and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, we were able to disrupt the drug trade in Montauk by arresting these four individuals.”

“The law enforcement agencies throughout Suffolk County stand united in our mission to remove dangerous drugs from our communities and these arrests send a clear message that anyone who chooses to pedal this poison within county limits will be held accountable,” said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison. “I applaud District Attorney Tierney and all our partners on the East End Drug Task Force for their tireless work on this investigation.”

“Drug trafficking organizations impede on law abiding citizens' right to live safe and healthy lifestyles,” said U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III. “These arrests shut down a vast drug network operating in Montauk and throughout the Northeast. I applaud our law enforcement partners for their diligent work throughout this investigation.”

The investigation began in March 2022, in partnership with the East End Drug Task Force and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Strike Force Team. During the investigation, a series of undercover buys were allegedly secured from Garces-Diaz and the three additional individuals, Anuedy Garces-Medrano, 35, Yadaris Baez-Rivera, 26, and Everado Hernandez, 45.
Investigation later established that Angel Garces-Diaz would allegedly frequently acquire narcotics via the mail; from the New York City, the Dominican Republic and elsewhere, for distribution in the Montauk area, particularly at the local bar scene.

Investigators further learned that in the summer of 2020, the Department of Homeland Security had intercepted a parcel of cocaine bound for Montauk from the Dominican Republic, which bore a fake name and misleading address. At the time, an attempted controlled delivery to the intended recipient was unsuccessful and the investigation reached a dead-end. In March 2022, the East End Drug Task Force resumed the investigation, gathering evidence sufficient to obtain and execute search warrants, and arrest these defendants.

During the execution of search warrants on October 5, 2022 of the defendants’ residences, vehicles and a storage facility, investigators found more than $35,000 in cash, felony weight quantities of cocaine and fentanyl, a host of drug distribution paraphernalia (digital scales, plastic bags, and a kilo press); and a .9 mm handgun. The quantity of fentanyl recovered was sufficient to kill over 1,000 people.

As a result, each of the four were arrested and charged with the following:

• Angel Garces-Diaz: One count Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree; seven counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree; one count Attempted Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree; one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree.
• Anuedy Garces-Medrano: One count Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree; two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree.
• Yadaris Baez-Rivera: One count Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree.
• Everado Hernandez: Two counts Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree.

At their arraignments on October 6, the Honorable Steven Tekulsky ordered defendants Garces-Diaz and Garces-Medrano held without bail. Defendants Baez-Rivera and Hernandez were each released on their own recognizances as current law prevents the District Attorney’s Office from seeking any bail.

Garces-Diaz and Garces-Medrano are due back in court on October 12, 2022. Garces-Diaz is being represented by Robert Connolly. Garces-Medrano is being represented by Edward Burke. Baez-Rivera and Hernandez are due back in court on October 27, 2022. They are both being represented by Legal Aid Society.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney William Nash of the District Attorney’s Narcotics Bureau.

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s East End Drug Task Force is comprised members of the District Attorney Investigators, East Hampton Town Police Department, New York State Police, Riverhead Police Department, Southold Police Department, Southampton Town Police Department, the Suffolk County Police Department and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. Since taking office in January 2022, DA Tierney has increased staffing the task force by approximately 40 percent.

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Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.

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