Federal jury indicts 4 from Salisbury on drug conspiracy

A federal grand jury indicted four people yesterday, including an Eastern Shore man, his wife and his brother, on conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Federal prosecutors said they are seeking to seize $1.5 million in assets from the group that may include two businesses in Maryland and Delaware.

The nine-count indictment levies drug and money-laundering charges against four Salisbury residents: Paul Apostolopoulos, 35; his wife, Wendy Apostolopoulos, 36; his brother, Dominick Apostolopoulos, 30; and Andres Morales, 37.

The defendants were arrested yesterday and appeared in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. Only Wendy Apostolopoulos was released before trial; the others were ordered held until a detention hearing set for Monday.

Search warrants executed yesterday by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, FBI and other agencies targeted the suspects' homes and two businesses associated with the Apostolopoulos family. They are Pestos Bar and Grill on the 400 block of Snow Hill Road in Salisbury and Pool Tables Plus in Delaware.

Each of the suspects faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.