Statewide investigation leads to bust of Mexican heroin ring

In 2013, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office began targeting large-scale heroin distribution inside the county. During the course of the investigation, purchases of heroin were made from multiple Rowan County residents that led to searches of several locations and the seizure of large amounts of heroin, money and firearms.

Information from multiple witnesses showed that a Mexican heroin trafficking ring based in the Charlotte-Matthews area had been supplying heroin to Rowan County for more than 10 years, with some transactions involving quantities of up to $10,000 worth at a time.

In December and January, investigators purchased large amounts of heroin from two individuals working for the ring.

On Tuesday, a man who uses the name Gerardo Juarez, 39, of Matthews, was arrested with 52 grams of heroin in his possession. Darya Sergeyevna Borovskaya, 26, of Matthews, and Hugo Fernando Navarrete-Lopez, 27, were arrested in Mecklenburg County in connection with their alleged involvement in the distribution ring. It was also determined that the suspects were in direct communication with ring members in Mexico.

Borovskaya was charged with six counts of trafficking heroin and one count of conspiracy to traffic heroin in Rowan County.  Juarez was charged with four counts of trafficking heroin and one count of conspiracy to traffic heroin in Rowan County. Navarrete-Lopez was charged with trafficking heroin in Mecklenburg County.

All three suspects were placed under $1,000,000 bond, and face potential penalties of 18.75 years to 23.25 years in state prison and fines of $500,000.