Guilty Pleas Entered In Massive Warminster Heroin Bust

WARMINSTER, PA — Most members of a Warminster-based drug ring that prosecutors said produced $8 million a week worth of heroin and fentanyl have pleaded guilty in the case.

About 10 pounds of heroin and fentanyl, a dangerously strong opioid, were seized in a December 2018 raid on a home in the 600 block of Cheryl Drive in Warminster. Police announced Tuesday that the people arrested in that raid have pleaded guilty to various crimes and been sentenced.

According to Warminster Township Police, Dariel Vasquez, 40, of Philadelphia, and Moises Rodriguez, 44, of Patterson, N.J., were found to be the masterminds of the operation.

Vasquez pleaded guilty in October and was sentenced to 5-10 years in state prison. Rodriguez is scheduled to go to trial in March.

According to police, the following six people pleaded guilty to drug possession with intent to deliver, corrupt organizations charges and conspiracy. They were sentenced to 3-6 years in state prison, with five years probation afterward.

• Roberto Espinal, 48, of Warminster
• Luigi Ortega, 31, of Warminster
• Eleni Saturrie, 39, of Philadelphia
• Nuris Martinez, 47, of Philadelphia
• Delvin Perez, 38, of Philadelphia

Yocasta Marie Mercedes, 38, of Philadelphia pleaded guilty in January and was sentenced to 3-6 years. Luis Torres, 32, of Newington, Connecticut, failed to appear for court and a bench warrant has been issued.

The raid was the result of a joint investigation by Warminster Police, the FBI, the Bucks-Mont Safe Streets Task Force and the Bucks County District Attorney's Office.

At the Warminster home, officers and agents seized thousands of packages of blended heroin and fentanyl at 10 different preparation and packaging stations in the basement. About 10 pounds of heroin and fentanyl was seized in all.

Prosecutors at the time said $32,000 in cash, records indicating the amounts of heroin and fentanyl packaged at the home and a loaded handgun also were seized.