Bronx man admits
attempting to
entice minor to
have sex
Sirens, lights, police Getty Images BUSTED!
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BY BRONX TIMES
A Bronx man was sentenced
Thursday to 46
months in prison for participating
in a conspiracy to
distribute heroin and fentanyl
from a drug mill in the
Bronx to locations in New
Jersey.
According to the investigation,
Jose Antonio Vasquez
Pena, a.k.a “Tono,” 48, was
among seven defendants who
used an apartment in the
Bronx to store, mix and package
heroin and fentanyl in
distribution quantities. Pena
stayed at the apartment in order
to safeguard the narcotics
and narcotics supplies.
The defendants assisted
in preparing the heroin and
fentanyl for distribution,
which was distributed to
customers in New Jersey.
BRONX TIMES R 10 EPORTER, JUNE 4-10, 2021 BTR
In February 2019, law
enforcement searched the
apartment and recovered
nearly a kilogram of fentanyl
from the apartment, along
with materials to grind and
package fentanyl for distribution.
BY BRONX TIMES
A Bronx man admitted
Thursday to attempting to
entice a minor and traveling
from New York to New Jersey
to meet an individual, whom
he believed was a 13-year-old
girl, to engage in sexual activity.
According to the investigation,
on Sept. 5, 2020, Eduardo
Silva, 43, sent a message
via social media to an
individual he believed was
an underage girl, but who
was in fact an undercover
federal agent. Silva asked
whether the minor was “into
older guys” and over the next
several days sent a series of
explicit online communications
and text messages, discussing
his intent to travel to
meet the minor and engage
in sexual activity with her.
On Sept. 23, 2020, Silva
was arrested when he traveled
from the Bronx to a motel
in Bordentown, N.J., intending
to meet a 13-year-old
girl for sex.
Silva was charged with
one count of coercion and enticement
of a minor and one
count traveling with the intent
to engage in illicit sexual
conduct with a minor. Silva
will be required to register
as a sex offender and faces
life in prison.
Bronx man sentenced to 46 months in
prison for conspiring to distribute heroin
Bronx man among 9 correction offi cers
charged with smuggling contraband to inmates
BY BRONX TIMES
A Bronx man was among nine
current and former NYC correction
officers charged Wednesday with
taking cash bribes in return for
smuggling contraband to inmates
in New York City jails.
Robert Balducci, 33, allegedly
abused his position as a correction
officer to smuggle razor blades,
marijuana and other contraband
into the Otis Bantum Correctional
Center on Rikers Island, in return
for at least $5,000 in bribes, in or
about October 2020.
He was charged with one count
of conspiracy to commit federal
crimes, which carries a maximum
sentence of five years in prison,
one count of federal program bribery,
which carries a maximum sentence
of 10 years in prison and one
count of honest services wire fraud,
which carries a maximum sentence
of 20 years in prison.
“These defendants were responsible
for maintaining a safe and
orderly environment in New York
City’s jails,” said U.S. Attorney
Audrey Strauss. “Instead, as alleged,
they abused their positions
to enrich themselves by smuggling
weapons, drugs, and other dangerous
contraband in return for thousands
of dollars of cash bribes. This
alleged activity violated the defendants’
duties, and endangered the
inmates they were charged to supervise
and guard.” File photo