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Morristown police helped the DEA and IRS crack the case, in which the defendants and other conspirators converted cash from drug sales in the two states to more than 1,000 cashier’s checks that were sent to brokers “acting on behalf of drug trafficking organizations with ties to the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and elsewhere,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said.
“The cashier’s check scheme was designed to conceal the nature, source, ownership, and control of the illegal drug proceeds in order to avoid scrutiny by law enforcement and banking institutions,” Carpenito said.
The defendants “were typically paid a fee of $150 to $200 for each check they purchased,” the U.S. attorney said.
Charged with conspiracy and illegal money transmitting were:
- Felicia Almonte, 54, of Passaic;
- Erickson Checo-Almonte, 29, of Passaic;
- Julio De La Cruz-Acosta, 40, of Paterson;
- Willy Cruz-Bonilla, 22, of Paterson;
- Jordano Abreu-Diaz, 24, of Paterson;
- Enmanuel Nunez-Reyes, 26, of Paterson.
All except Abreu-Diaz were scheduled for initial appearances Wednesday afternoon before in U.S. District Court in Newark. Abreu-Diaz was expected to be brought before the judge later this week, Carpenito said.
The U.S. attorney credited special agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division; special agents and task force officers of IRS - Criminal Investigation; and Morristown police.
Handling the case for the government is Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan M. Peck of Carpenito’s Criminal Division in Newark.
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