A Bronx man is facing federal charges over what prosecutors describe as his alleged role in a citywide cocaine-trafficking operation, after investigators say they recovered about 265 pounds of cocaine and a gun from a Long Island City apartment. The arrest came during an October search, during which Marcano allegedly tried to rip down surveillance cameras.
The man, identified as Erick Marcano, was arrested during the October search, and prosecutors say he was taken into custody specifically for attempting to remove the surveillance cameras, according to News12 | Bronx. The outlet reports that the broader police investigation into the alleged trafficking operation began in August, giving investigators roughly two months to build a case before the Queens apartment was searched.
Per the station’s report, the U.S. attorney said the apartment search turned up roughly 265 pounds of cocaine along with a firearm, evidence prosecutors are using to support the trafficking case. A New Jersey man also faces charges in connection with the alleged operation, and the same report notes that both men face a minimum of 10 years in prison.
Federal Prosecutors Point to a Queens Stash Apartment
A Justice Department announcement referenced the case, with the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and a Drug Enforcement Administration official announcing the unsealing of an indictment tied to the alleged Queens stash apartment, according to a notice posted on justice.gov. That notice was truncated in available records, so the full scope of the federal announcement, including further details on the charges themselves, has not been independently confirmed beyond what prosecutors told News12…