A Lancaster man is facing numerous charges regarding an investigation that uncovered 5 kilograms of cocaine, 470 bags of heroin, and a quantity of marijuana.
Nathan M. Santiago, 31, has charges in Lancaster County Court in connection to a December search that revealed the substances. He was charged last week with additional counts regarding illegal drug sales last September in Lancaster city.
In all, Santiago is charged on three felony dockets and at Lancaster County Prison on $75,000 bail.
Lancaster County Drug Task Force detectives called the December search at Santiago’s East King Street apartment one its largest-ever seizures of cocaine in the county.
Detectives estimated the street value of the seized cocaine at $250,000, and possibly more if broken down for small-quantity sales.
“While many of the Drug Task Force efforts are committed to the opioid epidemic,” District Attorney Craig Stedman said Tuesday, “drug dealers are still selling cocaine in Lancaster County and the detectives continue to target those illegal markets.”
Details of the December search were not released previously due to the ongoing investigation and completion of separate charges, recently filed by Lancaster city police.
An investigation last year, which involved surveillance, identified Santiago as a potential drug dealer and led to the Dec. 8 search at an apartment in the 400 block of East King Street.
There, detectives found:
- 5 brick-form kilograms of cocaine
- 470 bags of heroin
- 17 grams of marijuana
- $6,500 cash
- Drug-packaging materials.
Regarding the search, Santiago is charged with felony drug dealing of three substances; that case has progressed to Lancaster County Court.
He is awaiting arraignment on the two felony dockets filed last week.
Santiago is presumed innocent.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright