Bronx fentanyl lab busted with child present: prosecutor

The Special Narcotics Prosecutor’s office announced on Friday the apprehension of three suspects, including a woman, accused of managing an illicit fentanyl lab in a Bronx apartment. This investigation was conducted with the collaboration of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New York City Police Department, and other agencies.

On the day of their arrest, a two-year-old boy was found inside the apartment, where authorities suspect five children under the age of 15 resided. The location was notably situated across from a daycare and a playground. The defendants, José Cordero-Concepción, 37, Erik Jesús Reynoso-Burgos, 34, and Ariendy Jiminez-Hidalgo, 41, face multiple charges, including endangering a minor’s welfare and several counts of drug possession. Approximately two kilograms of suspected fentanyl mixtures, valued at over half a million dollars, were confiscated, along with thousands of waxed paper envelopes intended for distribution. The operation was described by Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan as both a significant disruption to drug trafficking in the area and a rescue of vulnerable children.