On May 28th, 2015, Detectives from the Lancaster County Drug Task Force (LCDTF) stopped a vehicle with two occupants in Gap, PA, at the intersection of routes 30 and 41. The driver (Ortiz) and passenger (Aponte-Ruiz) were suspected of coming back from Philadelphia with a significant amount of heroin that was to be sold in Lancaster County. LCDTF detectives were in possession of search warrants for the person of the driver (Ortiz) and his vehicle when the stop took place. Shortly after stopping the vehicle and the occupants, a plastic grocery bag containing twenty-one “bricks” labeled “Amtrak” that contained numerous packets of suspected heroin was located behind the driver’s seat. Both occupants were arrested and conveyed to the LCDTF headquarters. When inventoried, each “brick” was found to contain a total of 140 individual packets of heroin for a total of 2940 packets. A subsequent search of the driver’s (Ortiz’s) residence yielded seven additional “bricks” labeled “Amtrak” hidden in the basement of the home, and a total $34,600.00 in cash hidden under a bedroom mattress. The driver (Ortiz) admitted that all of the money was proceeds from heroin sales. The seven “bricks” contained a total of 980 additional packets of suspected heroin. The street value of the heroin that was seized is approximately $40,000.00. The vehicle in which the men were transporting the heroin was also seized by the LCDTF.
Arrested and Charged:
Martin ORTIZ H/M/37 (Driver)
Luis Antonio APONTE-ORTIZ (Passenger)
Both men were charged with Possession with Intent to Deliver – Heroin and Criminal Conspiracy. Ortiz was arraigned by MDJ Brian Chudzik and committed to Lancaster County Prison (LCP) on default of $500,000 cash bail. Aponte-Ortiz was arraigned by MDJ Chudzik and committed to LCP on default of $250,000.00 cash bail.
All Defendants are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.