Philly-based ‘Bad Bunny’ heroin ring spread drugs in Chester County, leading to multiple deaths, DA says
The group sold fentanyl-laced heroin they called "Bad Bunny" throughout the suburban county for years, and the 8-year-old son of one of its street dealers died from it, authorities said.
Five Philadelphia men have been charged with running a drug ring that packaged fentanyl-laced heroin in Philadelphia, then distributed it in Chester County, causing multiple fatal overdoses, including that of an 8-year-old boy, authorities said.
David Arroyo, 27, Miguel Jorge-Ortiz, 35, Neil Perez, 29, Jose Guzman, 49, and Curtis Lake, 50, face charges including operating a corrupt organization, conspiracy, and drug crimes for selling narcotics stamped with “Bad Bunny,” according to prosecutors in Chester County.
In September, investigators found 1.5 kilograms of bulk fentanyl, as well as multiple guns and a narcotics-packaging operation, at homes connected with the organization on Adams Avenue, Lawrence Street, and Princeton Avenue in North and Northeast Philadelphia, according to the affidavit of probable cause for the suspects’ arrests.
The men remained in custody Wednesday, in lieu of bail, ahead of preliminary hearings scheduled for Nov. 12.
Attorneys for Perez and Lake declined to comment. Attorneys for the others did not return calls for comment.
“Drug trafficking does not stop at the Chester County border,” Chester County District Attorney Chris de Barrena-Sarobe said. “Our detectives are committed to working with all of our local, state, and federal partners to investigate drug suppliers bringing deadly drugs into our community.”
The investigation into the group began in March 2023, after “Bad Bunny” was found at the scene of Tyler Stout’s fatal overdose in Phoenixville, according to the affidavit.
Stout, 32, later tested positive for fentanyl, heroin, and other narcotics. A Coatesville man, Mousa Hawa, 41, was arrested in connection with Stout’s death — another local drug dealer, Karen Tucker, said Hawa supplied the “Bad Bunny” brand of heroin in the area, according to the affidavit.
Tucker, 44, is awaiting trial on charges of drug delivery resulting in death and related crimes in connection with Stout’s overdose.
Months after Stout’s death, Hawa’s 8-year-old son, Hunter, overdosed on fentanyl. Investigators said they found baggies with the distinct “Bad Bunny” stamp strewn throughout the apartment that Hawa and his girlfriend, Holly Back, shared with their son.
Back later told detectives that Hawa regularly orders and purchases the drugs from Curtis Lake, the affidavit said.
Hawa is awaiting trial for third-degree murder and related crimes in his son’s death, and charges of drug delivery resulting in death in connection with Stout’s death.
Meanwhile, Chester County detectives continue to probe the distribution of “Bad Bunny.”
Philadelphia police detectives assisted in tracking down members of the drug ring, and identified Arroyo and Jorge-Ortiz as the leaders of the distribution network, according to the affidavit.
The men relied on another man, Herman “Pluck” McMullin, to transport the drugs from Philadelphia to Coatesville, according to the affidavit. In March, McMullin helped facilitate the sale of the narcotic to an undercover officer, the document said. A month later, McMullin was stopped by police in Coatesville and was carrying nearly seven grams of fentanyl-laced heroin, including 152 bags of the “Bad Bunny” narcotics, the affidavit said.
He is awaiting trial in Chester County on drug charges related to that arrest.
“Bad Bunny” has been circulating through Chester County since at least 2017, and was found at the scene of Damian Famalaro’s fatal 2018 overdose in West Brandywine Township, investigators said.
Through controlled buys carried out by undercover Philadelphia police officers in recent months, investigators were able to track “Bad Bunny” to homes in North Philadelphia connected to Arroyo and Jorge-Ortiz, according to the affidavit. Arroyo sold “Bad Bunny” heroin to an informant in the city in June.
Months later, Perez was seen receiving narcotics from Jorge-Ortiz, which he then sold to undercover officers on two occasions.
Guzman is also alleged to be a street-level dealer of drugs, and was arrested inside a home on Lawrence Street where investigators found nearly $7,000, two handguns, and two kilograms of cocaine, according to the affidavit.