A prominent Lancaster city heroin dealer will serve up to 10 years in prison, his arrest being one of the bigger drug busts in Lancaster County last year.
Martin Ortiz sold heroin out of his home in the 500 block of Dauphin Street and from a red pickup truck he owned, according to police.
Ortiz, 38, was recently sentenced in Lancaster County Court to 3 to 10 years in state prison, in accordance with a plea agreement arranged by Assistant District Attorney Maria Cusick.
Also, Ortiz will forfeit the $36,000 found at his home and in the truck during the investigation, along with the red Nissan truck.
Charges were filed following an investigation by the Lancaster County Drug Task Force, which included confidential informants and surveillance of drug sales.
Detectives eventually performed searches of the truck and at Ortiz’s home.
In the truck, they found 2,940 bags of heroin, about 113 grams, along with $1,477.
At the home, they found 980 bags of heroin, about 23 grams, along with $34,600 under a bed mattress, and a canister of rice.
The heroin, which was stamped “Amtrak,” had an estimated street value of $40,000.
Lancaster County Drug Task Force Detective Michael Vance filed the charges.
(See CrimeWatch/Twitter for Ortiz's photo.)
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright