Pair accused of trafficking 400 'bricks' of fentanyl
A Philadelphia woman and Dominican Republican man arrested by the state police in a traffic stop along the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Mt. Pleasant Township have been charged by the federal government with possessing about 400 “bricks” of fentanyl, a powerful painkiller that is mixed with heroin to make a deadly drug.
The suspects, Yarelis Mary Garcia Corretjer, 23, of Philadelphia, and Reyelin Manuel Abreu Vasquez, 23, of the Dominican Republic are charged with possession with intent to deliver fentanyl following their arrest Wednesday afternoon as a result of the traffic stop in which state police say they found the fentanyl in a compartment under the rear windshild wiper, according to the complain filed against the pair. Police said that Garcia was driving a car registered to another person from Philadelphia and were headed to Pittsburgh.
The pair, who told authorities they live together in Philadelphia, were taken to the state police barracks at Greensburg for interrogation, the complaint stated. Garcia Corretjer told troopers they planned to visit her aunt and Vasquez said they were going to see a friend in Pittsburgh, whom he did not identify.
Abreau Vasquez allegedly told law enforcement that he was in the United States illegally and had crossed the Mexican border about four years ago.
If convicted, the pair face a minimum jail sentence of 10 years and maximum penalty of life in prison plus a $10 million fine.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations joined the state police in conducting the investigation.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.
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