NYC gun and drug dealer caught with pills stuffed in toy dog: cops
A reputed Manhattan gun runner and drug dealer was barking up the wrong tree when he tried to sneak some illegal pills past the police — in a stuffed toy dog.
Cops and federal drug enforcement task force agents said that when they confronted Aaron Sanchez on Wednesday night leaving the luxury Midtown apartment building where he lives, he dropped a dog toy near a parked car.
An officer retrieved the stuffed pet and found nearly 1,000 fentanyl pills packed inside. The blue tablets were imprinted to look like oxycodone, authorities said.
Sanchez, 31, was also charged with trying to sell guns to undercover agents as part of a long-term investigation.
“This drug and gun dealer operated out of luxury apartments in the heart of Midtown,” said Timothy Foley, the Drug Enforcement Agency’s acting special agent in charge.
“Concealing fentanyl pills in a dog toy was just one way Sanchez would deliver deadly doses to customers. The rising threat of drug overdoses and violence is being fueled by profiteers like Sanchez. Law enforcement collaboration is paramount in our efforts to remove drugs and weapons from our streets.”
During the investigation, Sanchez allegedly met with an undercover NYPD officer on four occasions and sold fentanyl pills and two guns, police said.
The first three meetings occurred behind and inside another luxury apartment building on W. 42nd St., where Sanchez previously lived, authorities said.
In the first sale, on Aug. 5, 2021, Sanchez allegedly sold the undercover officer approximately 750 fentanyl pills imprinted to look like oxycodone and a piece of crystal methamphetamine in exchange for $6,000.
On Aug.11, 2021, Sanchez provided the undercover cop with 250 fentanyl pills that were missing from the first transaction, the feds said.
On Oct. 28, 2021, Sanchez brought the undercover inside a penthouse apartment at 635 W. 42nd St. and allegedly sold the officer 400 fentanyl pills and a Taurus 9mm firearm with two magazines for $3,600.
Cops said the final sale occurred on March 3, 2022, near his current W. 54th Street home, where Sanchez allegedly sold the undercover officer a Sig Sauer firearm with approximately 54 cartridges for $1,200.
Days later, the undercover officer arranged to buy another 1,000 fentanyl pills from Sanchez. Members of the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force stopped Sanchez as he came out of his building carrying the dog toy containing the pills, federal officials said.
“There were five cars, all unmarked, no lights or sirens,” said a staffer at Sanchez’s building who witnessed his arrest. “They took him out and put him in a truck. It was crazy out here.”
Authorities searched Sanchez’ apartment and seized 10 more fentanyl pills, a scale, money counter and multiple rounds of ammunition, officials said.
Sanchez was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal sale of a firearm and criminally using drug paraphernalia.
With Kerry Burke
