The North Philly drug ring behind “Bad Bunny” heroin distributed the drug in Chester County, DA says

Five Philadelphia men have been accused of running a drug ring that packaged fentanyl-laced heroin in North Philadelphia and then distributed it in Chester County, leading to several 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, are charged with selling narcotics marked “Bad Bunny,” prosecutors said Chester County.

In September, investigators found 1.5 kilograms of bulk fentanyl, as well as multiple firearms and a narcotics packaging facility, at homes associated with the organization at Adams Avenue, Lawrence Street and Princeton Avenue in North Philadelphia, according to the probable cause affidavit shows the arrests of the suspects.

The men remained jailed in lieu of bail Wednesday ahead of their preliminary hearings scheduled for Nov. 12.

Attorneys for Perez and Lake declined to comment. Lawyers for the others did not respond to calls for comment.

“Drug trafficking does not stop at the Chester County border,” said Chester County District Attorney Chris de Barrena-Sarobe. “Our detectives are committed to working with all of our local, state and federal partners to investigate drug suppliers who bring 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 “Bad Bunny” brand heroin in the area.

Tucker, 44, is awaiting trial on drug delivery resulting in death and related offenses 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 bags with the prominent “Bad Bunny” stamp throughout the apartment Hawa and his girlfriend, Holly Back, shared with their son.

Back later told investigators that Hawa regularly ordered and purchased the drugs from Curtis Lake, the affidavit said.

Hawa is awaiting trial on charges of third-degree murder and related crimes in connection with his son's death, as well as drug delivery resulting in death in connection with Stout's death.

Meanwhile, Chester County investigators continue to investigate the spread of “Bad Bunny.”

Philadelphia police detectives helped search for members of the drug ring and identified Arroyo and Jorge-Ortiz as leaders of the distribution network, according to the affidavit.

According to the affidavit, the men relied on another man, Herman “Pluck” McMullin, to transport the drugs from Philadelphia to Coatesville. In March, McMullin helped facilitate the sale of the narcotics to an undercover officer, the document said. A month later, McMullin was stopped by police in Coatesville and had nearly seven grams of heroin laced with fentanyl, 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 in Chester County since at least 2017 and was found at the scene of Damian Famalaro's fatal overdose in 2018 in West Brandywine Township, investigators said.

Through controlled buys conducted by undercover police officers in Philadelphia in recent months, investigators were able to track “Bad Bunny” to homes in North Philadelphia associated with 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 agents on two occasions.

Guzman was also believed to be a street-level drug dealer and was arrested at a home on Lawrence Street, where investigators found nearly $7,000, two handguns and two kilograms of cocaine, according to the affidavit.