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(In photo, from left: Salome-Chevere, Ramos-Ocasio, Rosa.)
The collaboration of several Lancaster County law-enforcement agencies led to arrests of three alleged heroin dealers charged with causing the fatal overdose of an Elizabethtown man.
The 37-year-old decedent overdosed on July 2 at his West High Street home. He was pronounced dead at Hershey Medical Center.
An investigation led by Elizabethtown police Detective Dustin Ryan revealed the victim’s direct supplier, Juan M. Rosa, and two other men higher up in the supply chain – Angel Ramos-Ocasio and Erick Salome-Chevere.
All three Lancaster city men are charged with felony drug delivery resulting in death and conspiracy.
Salome-Chevere, 27, believed to be the highest-level dealer of the group, is also charged with felony drug-dealing and related counts. Police found 1,000 bags of heroin-fentanyl at the time of his arrest. He is at Lancaster County Prison on $400,000 bail.
Ramos-Ocasio, 24, and Rosa, 25, are at Lancaster County Prison on $200,000 bail apiece.
Detective Ryan filed charges regarding the death, with assistance in the investigation and arrests by the Lancaster County Drug Task Force, Lancaster city police’s Selective Enforcement Unit, and Ephrata police.
The Lancaster County Drug Task Force charged Salome-Chevere regarding the 1,000 bags.
Assistant District Attorney Barry Goldman approved the charges.
All three men are presumed innocent.
Here is a summation of the investigation:
Detective Ryan went to the West High Street home and learned from another occupant that the decedent obtained the heroin from Rosa. Also, Facebook messages showed contact between Rosa and the decedent.
Detective Ryan and the Drug Task Force arrested Rosa at a location in Lancaster city.
Police later obtained information about Ramos-Ocasio, believed to be Rosa’s supplier. Detective Ryan, the Drug Task Force and Selective Enforcement Unit executed a search warrant in Lancaster city, where Ramos-Ocasio was located along with evidence that linked him to Salome-Chevere.
Salome-Chevere was arrested July 4 during a traffic stop in Ephrata, coordinated by Ephrata police, Detective Ryan and the Drug Task Force.
Salome-Chevere had approximately 1,000 bags of heroin/fentanyl at the time of arrest.
The investigation is ongoing.
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