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Victor Pimentel, 46, of Parsippany, was the last of three men to be sentenced in the case.
He and the other two -- Narcisco Ramirez of Passaic and Kiuny Perez of Rockaway Township -- took deals from the government rather than face trial after authorities seized a combined 55 pounds of cocaine and more than $700,000 in drug cash.
All three must serve out just about all of their sentences because there's no parole in the federal prison system.
It began in November 2017, as authorities investigated a ring that flooded Passaic, Hudson and Morris counties with cocaine.
Investigators said they watched as Ramirez and Perez met at a location in Passaic and exchanged a package.
Later that day, officers stopped Ramirez’s car and found a kilogram of cocaine on the front seat and two more on his right leg and waistband, a complaint on file in U.S. District Court in Newark says.
A search of Ramirez’s residence turned up two more kilos of coke and $89,000 in cash, it added.
Law enforcement officers said they also stopped Perez’s vehicle and found cocaine in a secret compartment hidden beneath the dashboard. They also reported finding $297,350 in drug money in Perez's house.
A search of Pimentel’s residence produced the largest haul – more than 20 kilograms of cocaine, drug paraphernalia and $322,000 in drug cash, according to the complaint.
Several buyers were arrested, as well.
Pimental pleaded guilty in federal court in Newark in early 2020 to conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi sentenced him to three years of supervised release.
Ramirez was sentenced last year to 10 years in federal prison. Perez was sentenced earlier this month to 5½ years.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's New Jersey Division and the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office with the investigation leading to the guilty plea and sentence secured by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan M. Peck of Carpenito’s Criminal Division in Newark.
He also thanked Clifton police for their assistance.
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