A Bronx daycare owner has been handed a 45-year prison sentence following the exposure of a deadly drug operation at the unsuspecting establishment. Grei Mendez, aged 37, was found guilty of trafficking fentanyl from her Bronx daycare in New York. In addition to the prison term, she will serve five years of supervised release, as announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York in a press release on Monday.
The sentencing stems from a tragic incident in September 2023, where three children lost their lives due to fentanyl poisoning while under Mendez’s care. Mendez had previously pleaded guilty to charges of distributing narcotics resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute narcotics resulting in death.
Her husband, Felix Herrera Garcia, was also implicated in the drug operation, facing charges of conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute narcotics resulting in death. Garcia received a similar 45-year sentence back in October.
Mendez’s cousin, Carlisto Acevedo Brito, who resided in the same unit as the daycare, was likewise charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute narcotics resulting in death. Legal representatives for Mendez did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the sentencing.
An attorney representing Mendez at the state level expressed concerns over the length of the sentence, arguing that she was being unfairly held to the same level of responsibility as her husband in the matter.
The investigation revealed that Mendez, Garcia, and Brito had been operating a drug ring out of Mendez’s business, Divino Niño Daycare, between July and September 2023. Fentanyl was found to be stored in various locations within the daycare, including on children’s playmats and in items designed for drug distribution.
Tragedy struck on September 15, 2023, when four toddlers under three years old at the daycare fell ill. Three of the children, aged between 8 months and 2 years, became unresponsive, leading to Mendez contacting emergency services. Despite efforts to save them, one 1-year-old boy tragically passed away at the hospital.
Further investigations revealed that fentanyl was present in the system of one of the affected children. Authorities also noted suspicious activities, including Mendez calling her husband before alerting 911 and individuals leaving the premises with bags.
Following the discovery of these harrowing events, Mendez, Garcia, and Brito were apprehended and faced the full extent of the law for their deadly drug operation.
Grei Mendez was sentenced after the tragic death of a child in a one-bedroom apartment that served as a bedroom, playroom, bathroom, and kitchen. Authorities discovered fentanyl and press machines used for drug packaging. In court documents, officials detailed finding a kilogram of fentanyl in a closet near the daycare bathroom. The fentanyl was concealed in a bag atop pieces of a children’s playmat.
Before contacting emergency services, Mendez made several phone calls, including to a daycare employee and her husband multiple times. Surveillance footage captured her leaving the property with shopping bags and exiting through the building’s rear, leading to an alley. Shortly before emergency responders arrived, her husband was seen leaving with bags towards the same alley.
Investigations revealed Mendez deleted over 21,000 messages from an encrypted app, where conversations with her husband about police inquiries were discovered. Despite denying drug involvement at the daycare, Mendez mentioned that kilo presses could have belonged to a former tenant. Authorities also discovered a kilo press in the bedroom closet, which an individual named Acevedo Brito denied knowledge of.
Acting United States Attorney, Matthew Podolsky, emphasized the danger posed to children by Mendez’s actions, noting that over 11 kilograms of fentanyl were concealed in the area where they slept and played. While expressing sympathy for affected families, Mendez’s state-level representative, Solano, deemed the 45-year sentence excessive.
The reporting was done by Saleen Martin, a member of USA TODAY’s NOW team, hailing from Norfolk, Virginia. For inquiries, contact sdmartin@usatoday.com.
