DA releases more info on Flanders drug raid
District Attorney Thomas Spota’s office released more details on the case of an alleged “substantial” drug dealer Tuesday morning, saying the Flanders man who was arrested last Friday at his home on Riverside Avenue possessed 400 grams of cocaine, a bundle of heroin, over $20,000 in cash, and a pair of handguns when the East End Drug Task Force raided the home last week.
According to Mr. Spota, 30-year-old Faustino Juarez Jr. had already served time for attempted possession of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance — all on separate occasions.
He was last incarcerated from April 2010 to April 2012 before finishing his parole supervision earlier this year.
The DA described Mr. Juarez as a “very active drug dealer in the community, a defendant with an extensive criminal history who had a loaded weapon and another handgun in his house.”
Mr. Juarez was arrested by members of the East End Drug Task Force – a multi-jurisdictional investigative unit that include detectives from several departments and agencies on town, county and state levels.
“The task force entered 63 Riverside Drive and secured the cocaine, arrested the suspect and found the handguns, a .9 millimeter and a loaded .32 revolver and one bundle of heroin,” Mr. Spota said. “That’s one gram of heroin divided in 10 bags and packaged for street sale.”
Mr. Juarez’ case is currently being reviewed by a grand jury.
He was initially charged last week with three counts of felony criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts of weapons possession, one count of misdemeanor drug possession and two counts of using drug paraphernalia as a result of the bust, according to the report.
Mr. Juarez was also charged with five counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in relation to five separate incidents dating back to February, including a class A1 felony for distributing more than 2 oz. of drugs, police said.
Mr. Spota said on Tuesday morning that Mr. Juarez has pleaded not guilty and is being held at county jail without bail.
