Veteran NYPD officer charged in drug distribution conspiracy after she allegedly dealt fentanyl while on duty

On Thursday, 32-year-old veteran NYPD Officer Grace Rose Baez was arrested along with 42-year-old Casar Martinez and charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics and the distribution of narcotics after they allegedly tried to sell large quantities of drugs to a federal informant between Oct. 9 and 29. 

According to authorities, Baez brought what she said was "top quality" fentanyl in a Mentos container to give the informant in an attempt to get them to buy large quantities of other drugs. 

She said she could sell them a kilogram of heroin for $25,000 and 800 grams of fentanyl during multiple meetings with the informant. Baez was arrested after she gave a criminal informant what appeared to be one kilogram of 400 grams of heroin and 640 grams of fentanyl labeled as "650 Manzana." 

Police then searched the couple's apartment and found a package of what they believed to be more narcotics being thrown out, as well as a press machine and more narcotics inside. 

The pair were charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics and the distribution of narcotics according to US Attorney of the Southern District of New York Damian Williams.

According to the New York Post, Baez was put on modified duty by the NYPD after she was accused of misconduct and was working desk duty when she was arranging meetings with the informant. 

The Daily Star reports that Baez, who had been on the force since 2012, posted on social media about how much she loved being a police officer. In one post in 2020, she wrote “I will never apologize for picking a career I love to do.” She added, "There’s always a bad one or two in the bunch, but that’s not me…”

Williams said that Baez "flagrantly violated" her oath of office "by pushing poison, including fentanyl and heroin, which are driving the nation’s deadly opioid crisis and have been responsible for thousands of tragic deaths in this city and around the nation." 

Police Commissioner Edward Caban told the outlet that if she is found guilty, Baez will have "tarnished the shield that she wore." He added, "These charges are extremely troubling because there is no place for corruption at the NYPD."