3 New York Men Arrested in Worcester With 800 Grams of Heroin

Wednesday, September 06, 2017

GoLocalWorcester News Team

Three New York men were arrested in Worcester with a total of 800 grams of Heroin.

Jason Paulino, 23, and Alexis Valerio, 26, were both charged with trafficking in Heroin Greater than 200 grams and Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substance Laws.

Polio Taveras, 20, was charged with Possession of Ammunition without a FID Card and Possession of Class A Substance with the Intent to Distribute.

The Incident

On Monday, September 4 members of the WPD Vice Squad were in possession of two search warrants. The addresses listed in the warrants were for 33 Marsh Avenue, apartment #2 and 503 Plantation Street, the Marriot Residence Inn, Room 105. The search warrants were the result of a lengthy investigation conducted by members of the vice squad.

At approximately 5:30 p.m., members of the vice squad had set up surveillance for both locations. At this time, a man identified as Taveras of the Bronx, NY, was seen exiting the Marsh Avenue address. Taveras entered a black Mercedes and drove off. Some members of the surveillance team broke off and attempted to follow the Mercedes but eventually lost contact with it in traffic.

Officers decided to execute both warrants simultaneously. Inside the Plantation Street location police located two men. The first man was identified as Paulino of Brooklyn, NY, and the second man was identified as Valerio of the Bronx, NY.

A search of the room that the men were in produced 500 knotted bags of heroin. The heroin was in plain view on a table. Vice officers also discovered several large chunks of heroin and a large amount of packaging materials, a digital scale and over $4,000 in cash.

The search of the Marsh Avenue location produced two boxes of ammunition and $2,665 in cash. Officers did not locate anyone inside the Marsh Avenue address. A short while afterwards the vice officers looking for the Mercedes did locate the car in the area of Chandler Street and Queen Streets. Officers stopped the Mercedes. A search of Taveras produced 15 knotted bags of heroin and $492 in cash.

Taveras was placed under arrest.

During the investigation and subsequent evidence discovered during the search of the two properties, vice officers obtained sufficient information to support a third search warrant for 50 Franklin Street, apartment #214. The warrant was granted later in the evening.

At approximately 10:00 p.m., members of the vice squad entered the Franklin Street apartment. No persons were located inside. The search produced a large chunk of heroin that weighed approximately 250 grams. Officers also located a large quantity of individually knotted bags of heroin along with materials used in the processing, weighing and distribution of heroin.

In total, approximately 800 grams of heroin was recovered.