2 Glendale Men Arrested in Heroin and Fentanyl Operation Linked to Overdose Death

via Edward Kimmel on Flickr

Dec. 21, 2018 By Laura Hanrahan

Two Glendale men were arrested yesterday for their involvement in a nine-month-long opioid distribution operation in Queens, the New York Eastern District Attorney announced yesterday.

Douglas “Dougie” Marra and Joseph “Max B” McClean, both 34, were charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl in a scheme that resulted in the overdose death of one person in the borough.

The two men allegedly operated in Queens between January and September of this year, and were arrested after Homeland Security Investigations and NYPD learned that the overdose victim had obtained heroin from Marra, who worked in McClean in the operation.

Multiple law enforcement agencies then began a series of undercover operations soliciting drugs from Marra.

During one of their interactions, Marra even told an undercover police officer, “This stuff is hot. My friend died off of it,” the U.S. Eastern District Attorney’s office said.

“Our communities have been plagued with fentanyl related deaths, and it is because of individuals like those arrested today, those who prey on vulnerabilities with no regard for life,” stated HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Melendez.  “McClean and Marra are now in custody, unable to keep pushing these deadly drugs as alleged, and law enforcement will continue working opioid investigations and removing relentless drug dealers from our city streets.”

If convicted, Marra and McClean will face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, with the possibility of life imprisonment.