By Rich Bockmann
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.
Three Bronx men and a Dominican national meet at John F. Kennedy International Airport. After a police stop on the Van Wyck Expressway and a trip to a Queens hospital, the Dominican allegedly passes 80 pellets through his intestine holding more than 8 ounces of cocaine, according to authorities.
District Attorney Richard Brown announced his office brought charges last week against the three Grand Concourse-area men after Port Authority police made the arrests back in December.
“The defendants are accused of using a drug ‘mule’ to transport illicit drugs into this country in an apparent effort to conceal their activities from law enforcement,” Brown said. “However, thanks to the diligent efforts of the Port Authority Police and members of my staff, their alleged scheme was foiled,” he said.
According to the charges, Jarrold De La Cruz, 20; Pedro DeLeon, 34; and Edward Rivera, 30, allegedly made arrangements in November to pick up 19-year-old Sergio Feliz, of Santo Domingo, when he arrived at JFK with a shipment of drugs.
On Dec. 1, Port Authority police stopped the burgundy Chevy Impala the four were traveling in on the Van Wyck Expressway around 6 p.m.
Feliz then allegedly told authorities he had swallowed 80 pellets containing more than 8 ounces of cocaine, which he later produced at the hospital, Brown said.
Feliz was arraigned four days later before Queens Criminal Court Judge John Zoll and ordered held on $200,000 bail, Brown said.
The DA’s office filed complaints last week charging De La Cruz, DeLeon and Rivera with attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance, conspiracy and criminal facilitation.
Brown said if convicted each of the four defendants faces up to 10 years in jail.
Reach reporter Rich Bockmann by e-mail at rbockmann@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4574.
