Wash Heights Man Busted In Fentanyl, Guns Trafficking Scheme: AG

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY - A Washington Heights man has been charged in a 94-count indictment with selling fentanyl and trafficking guns in Manhattan and upstate New York, among other charges after a year-long investigation, state authorities said Wednesday.

Rafael Figueroa was charged after the Office of the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) seized over 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl and over 75 grams of heroin worth approximately $142,000, three loaded handguns, a loaded assault rifle, and three high-capacity ammunition feeding devices, New York Attorney General Letitia James said.

From August 2022 to January 2023, Figueroa conducted 11 drug sales and four weapons sales.

The year-long, multi-country investigation included hundreds of hours of physical surveillance, covert cameras and undercover operations, as well as tracked fentanyl sales from New York County into Rockland County.

“Drug and gun traffickers put New Yorkers in danger and my office will continue to prosecute those who flood our communities with deadly weapons and narcotics,” James said in a statement. “This takedown successfully removed dangerous opioids and firearms from our streets. I want to thank our partners in law enforcement for their assistance throughout this investigation.”

The indictment, unsealed before a Rockland County Court, charged Figueroa with 94 crimes including felony-level criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance, firearms crimes and more.