BRONX W www.BXTimes.com EEKLY December 22, 2019 12
BY JASON COHEN
Seven men were charged on
Thursday, December 12 with operating
a fentanyl packaging operation
in Mott Haven and one
defendant faces assault charges
for allegedly throwing fentanyl at
a law enforcement offi cer with the
intent to cause serious injury.
Law enforcement obtained a
search warrant for a suspected
narcotics packaging location at
304 Willis Avenue, Apt. 4D on November
7.
Upon entering the apartment,
offi cers encountered six individuals
in the living room along with a
large quantity of suspected heroin
and fentanyl packaged into nearly
20,000 individual dose glassine envelopes,
as well as additional quantities
of narcotics in loose powder
form.
However, before they could secure
the apartment, defendant
Christian Rojas allegedly threw
loose fentanyl at the head of one
of the offi cers, striking him with
powder and causing the dust from
the potent narcotic to become airborne.
The offi cer exhibited fentanylrelated
symptoms, including nausea
and shortness of breath and was
treated by emergency responders.
A second offi cer who was immediately
behind the injured offi
cer also experienced nausea and
shortness of breath, and momentarily
lost consciousness while being
transported to a hospital via
ambulance.
A total of four offi cers experienced
fentanyl-related symptoms
as a result of being inside the apartment.
The defendants were arraigned
Thursday, December 12. Rojas
was charged with two counts of
attempted aggravated assault
upon a police offi cer, two counts of
assault in the second degree and
one count of reckless endangerment
in the second degree.
All seven defendants, including
four from the Bronx, Francisco
Payano, Mario Guerrero,
Jose Gonzalez and Margaret
Payano, were charged with criminal
possession of a controlled
substance in the fi rst degree, two
counts of criminal possession of a
controlled substance in the third
degree and two counts of criminally
using drug paraphernalia
in the second degree.
Seven indicted in Mott Haven
drug packaging mill operation
Fentanyl at a packagin goperation in Mott Haven. Photo Courtesy DEA
Glassines discovered at the Mott Haven fentanyl bust. Photo Courtesy DEA
Electric Paradise holds toy drive for children’s hospital
BY STEVEN GOODSTEIN
A local business owner
held a holiday toy drive earlier
this month to benefi t a
children’s hospital as well
as a non-profi t organization
for kids.
Michael Poli, owner
of tanning salon Electric
Paradise located at 3221
Westchester Avenue, organized
and orchestrated a
toy drive fundraiser for the
fi rst two weeks of December
to donate toys and winter accessories
to needy children.
In total, Poli and Electric
Paradise raised money to
donate a total of 8,000 toys
in just two weeks this holiday
season - 2,000 more toys
than last year’s fundraiser
generated.
The toys were donated
to the kids of the Ronald
McDonald House of the
Greater Hudson Valley as
well as children patients
at the nearby Maria Fareri
Children’s Hospital at
Westchester Medical Center
in Valhalla.
The collection of toys,
which included board
games, Legos, art materials,
Barbie dolls, toy helicopters,
toy dinosaurs and
more items.
Clothing was also donated
to the children’s hospital
including onesies,
hats, gloves and blankets to
keep kids warm and comfortable
during the cold winter
months.
This was the third year
that Electric Paradise held
a toy drive fundraiser. In
total, Poli and Electric Paradise
raised over $4,000 for
this year’s drive, surpassing
their original goal of obtaining
$3,000 for the fundraiser.
The $4,106 donated from
various local businesses
translated into the 8,000
toys that were donated to
the Maria Fareri Children’s
Hospital and the Ronald Mc-
Donald House.
In the two previous
years, the toys from the
fundraisers were donated
to the Children’s Hospital
at Montefi ore. Electric Paradise
also collaborated on
toy drive initiatives with
Conti’s Pastry Shoppe in the
past.
“We love to help the community
and we love to help
kids - and what better time
to do that than during the
holidays,” said Poli, who
was raised in Country Club
and attended Our Lady of
Assumption School in Pelham
Bay. “The purpose of
this fundraiser is to give
something back to less fortunate
children who are in
need.”
He also said that the
birth of his now three-year
old daughter was another
reason his business started
organizing toy giveaways.
“This is a special endeavor
that I hope will
greatly benefi t these kids -
and I hope to be involved in
this fundraiser for as long
as I can,” Poli added.
Michael also specifi cally
thanked Tiffany Massagli,
Chris Daniello and Dom Ciccone
from fl ooring store Exquisite
Tile for playing such
an important role in helping
with the toy drive.
Poli has been the owner
of Electric Paradise since
2006. He also owns another
Electric Paradise location
in Carmel, NY.
The Pelham Bay location
celebrated its 10-year milestone
in 2016 with an anniversary
sale, an event that
also included free food and
an Electric Paradise t-shirt
giveaway.
We love to help
the community and
we love to help
kids - and what
better time to do
that than during
the holidays.
Michael Poli
A portion of the toy collection, which were donated to the children at the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital
and the Ronald McDonald House in Westchester County. Photo courtesy of Electric Paradise
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