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Drug Trafficking

Newark Man Trafficked Guns, Drugs: Feds Newark Man Trafficked Guns, Drugs: Feds
Newark Man Trafficked Guns, Drugs: Feds A 30-year-old Newark man was arrested and charged on Monday, Dec. 23, with dealing guns and drugs, authorities said. On Thursday, Feb. 22, police officers recovered from Raishaun Lofton a privately made firearm with no serial number, nine rounds of 9mm ammunition, 81 glassine envelopes containing fentanyl, and plastic jugs commonly used to distribute illegal drugs, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said. On Monday, April 22,  video surveillance footage depicted Lofton firing a different firearm into the air during an argument. One of the bullets from the firearm that Lofton shot entere…
Four Roselle Residents Dealt Fentanyl, Cocaine, Ecstasy: Linden PD Four Roselle Residents Dealt Fentanyl, Cocaine, Ecstasy: Linden PD
Four Roselle Residents Dealt Fentanyl, Cocaine, Ecstasy: Linden PD Four Roselle residents were indicted on Wednesdy, Dec. 5 with dealing fentanyl in Linden, authorities said. Christine Cintron, 25, Tyron Dieujuste, 32, Xavier M. Padilla, 26, and Juanita Padilla-Jacobs, 43, were arrested on Thursday, Oct. 3 following the seizure of approximately 280 grams of Cocaine, a quantity of Xanax and Ecstasy, $6,280.00 in US currency, and nearly 400 Fentanyl pills made to look like Oxycodone during a search warrant, Linden police said.  The four were indicted by a Union County grand jury on charges of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, first-degree …
Two Newark Men Plead Guilty To Trafficking Fentanyl: Feds Two Newark Men Plead Guilty To Trafficking Fentanyl: Feds
Two Newark Men Plead Guilty To Trafficking Fentanyl: Feds Two Newark men pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Dec. 18 to being members of a drug trafficking organization that distributed hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl analogues, authorities said. From January 2014 through September 2020, Thomas Padovano, 50, and Bartholomew Padovano, 72, agreed to import and distribute various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, methylone, and ketamine, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said. The Padovanos placed orders with a source in China and distributed the controlled substances and analogues in Ne…
East Orange Drug Trafficker Possessed Assault Rifles, Dealt Cocaine, Heroin: Feds East Orange Drug Trafficker Possessed Assault Rifles, Dealt Cocaine, Heroin: Feds
East Orange Drug Trafficker Possessed Assault Rifles, Dealt Cocaine, Heroin: Feds A 32-year-old East Orange man pleaded guilty on Thursday, Dec. 19 to distributing cocaine and heroin and possessing two assault rifles, authorities said. Azmar Carrer pleaded guilty in Newark Federal Court to two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said. In 2021, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking organization based in Orange, Sellinger said. During the investigation, Carter di…
Secret Rutgers Drug Network Exposed: Seven Arrested In Undercover Bust, Prosecutors Say Secret Rutgers Drug Network Exposed: Seven Arrested In Undercover Bust, Prosecutors Say
Secret Rutgers Drug Network Exposed: Seven Arrested In Undercover Bust, Prosecutors Say A covert social media network used by Rutgers University students to buy and sell drugs led to seven arrests following a months-long investigation, authorities said. The seven were arrested as part of the "Operation RU Pharm" investigation, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said in a news release on Thursday, Dec. 5. The undercover operation exposed a private social media network used by Rutgers students to distribute and purchase drugs. Investigators said they uncovered the online platform created by a former Rutgers student. Dealers posted menus of drugs for students w…
Violent NJ Human Trafficking Rings Dismantled Where Women, Teens Were Forced Into Sex: AG Violent NJ Human Trafficking Rings Dismantled Where Women, Teens Were Forced Into Sex: AG
Violent NJ Human Trafficking Rings Dismantled Where Women, Teens Were Forced Into Sex: AG Seven people have been arrested in the dismantling two human trafficking rings, one in North Jersey and one in South Jersey, authorities said. The rings were based in Essex County and Cumberland County, state Attorney General Matthew Platkin said at a news conference on Tuesday, Dec. 3. Khailah Meekins, 21 and Donte Barkley, 28, both Newark residents, trafficked two 15-year-olds and a 13-year-old in Essex County, Platkin said. Meekins and Barkley arranged sexual encounters for the girls through mobile apps that included online ads featuring nude photos of the minors. The girls would be…
Newark Man Gets 4+ Years For Distributing Cocaine, Fentanyl: Feds Newark Man Gets 4+ Years For Distributing Cocaine, Fentanyl: Feds
Newark Man Gets 4+ Years For Distributing Cocaine, Fentanyl: Feds A 37-year-old Newark man was sentenced to 4.8 years in prison on Tuesday, Nov. 5,  for distributing cocaine and fentanyl in 2022, authorities said. In December 2022, Carlos Gonzalez and another individual conspired to distribute approximately one kilogram of cocaine and 100 grams of fentanyl and were arrested shortly after arriving at an agreed-upon location in Kearny to complete the sale, US Attorney Phillip Sellinger said.  After their arrests, a search of Gonzalez’s home and an apartment uncovered two loaded firearms, an unloaded firearm, ammunition, drug packaging materials, a…
Jersey City Man Gets 18+ Years For Distributing Cocaine: Feds Jersey City Man Gets 18+ Years For Distributing Cocaine: Feds
Jersey City Man Gets 18+ Years For Distributing Cocaine: Feds A Jersey City gang member was sentenced to more than 18 years in prison on Wednesday, Oct. 23, after being convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, authorities said. Jamil King is a high ranking ember member of Parkside, a Jersey City gang, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said. A 2022 search of King's residence recovered approximately 50 grams of cocaine from a pair of sweatpants inside the apartment, Sellinger said. Those sweatpants contained the defendant’s DNA and matched the sweatshirt that the defendant was wearing that night, Sellinger said. King had previou…
NJ-Based TD Bank Fined $3B For Allowing Drug Dealers, Human Traffickers To Launder Money: Feds NJ-Based TD Bank Fined $3B For Allowing Drug Dealers, Human Traffickers To Launder Money: Feds
Nj-based TD Bank Fined $3B For Allowing Drug Dealers, Human Traffickers To Launder Money: Feds TD Bank has agreed to pay about $3 billion in historic penalties after its relaxed policies allowed criminals to launder their money, authorities said. The Canadian bank with U.S. headquarters in Cherry Hill pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to not maintain an anti-money laundering program that complies with the Bank Secrecy Act, filing inaccurate currency transaction reports, and laundering money, the Justice Department said in a news release on Thursday, Oct. 10. TD Bank will pay more than $1.8 billion to resolve the DOJ's investigation and $1.3 billion in a penalty f…
NJ Mailman Found Guilty Of Taking Bribes To Transport Drugs: Feds NJ Mailman Found Guilty Of Taking Bribes To Transport Drugs: Feds
NJ Mailman Found Guilty Of Taking Bribes To Transport Drugs: Feds A 49-year-old former mailman and Union resident was convicted in federal court on Thursday, Aug. 15 of taking bribes to deliver drugs through the mail, authorities said.  For five years, from 2015 to 2010, Emerson Pavilus received cash payments in exchange for helping individuals intercept packages containing illegal narcotics and other illicit materials while working as a mailman in Flanders, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said. Pavilus provided his conspirators with addresses for vacant houses along his mail route to which they could ship illegal packages, Sellinger said. P…
$1.1M In Drugs, 5 Firearms, $65K Seized From NJ Man, Prosecutor Says $1.1M In Drugs, 5 Firearms, $65K Seized From NJ Man, Prosecutor Says
$1.1M In Drugs, 5 Firearms, $65K Seized From NJ Man, Prosecutor Says A 35-year-old Mercer County man is facing a slew of charges after investigators uncovered $1.1 million in drugs, five handguns, and $65,000 in cash from him, authorities said. James Nalbone Jr., 35, of Hamilton Township, was arrested on Wednesday, Aug. 7, following a month-long investigation, Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Theresa L. Hilton said. Detectives detained Nalbone at his home on Byron Avenue and executed a search warrant, Hilton said. Sgt. Tom Paglione's K-9 partner, Indy, gave positive indications of a drug odor at multiple locations within the premises, poli…
Essex County Drug Trafficker Gets 36 Years For Role In Three Murders: Feds Essex County Drug Trafficker Gets 36 Years For Role In Three Murders: Feds
Essex County Drug Trafficker Gets 36 Years For Role In Three Murders: Feds A 44-year-old East Orange drug trafficker was sentenced to more than 36 years in prison on Tuesday, Aug. 1,  for his role in facilitating three murders to further his narcotics enterprise, authorities said. Leevander Wade had previously pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Phillip Sellinger said. In February 2018, the drug enterprise’s leader, Michael Healy, found out that one of his conspirators in the drug trafficking enterprise was providing information to law enforcement, Sellinger said.  Healy ordered members of the Bloods in East Orange to kill the infor…
Four Newark Men Robbed Postal Worker At Gunpoint: Feds Four Newark Men Robbed Postal Worker At Gunpoint: Feds
Four Newark Men Robbed Postal Worker At Gunpoint: Feds Four Newark men were arrested and charged on Thursday, Aug. 1 with robbing a postal worker at gunpoint last November, authorities said. Last November, three people, including Troy Corbett, 28, and Dyshawn Williams, 28 stole the victim's cell phone, keys and wallet, containing a credit card and debit card, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said. The robbery is a federal crime, since it impeded the postal worker from delivering mail, interfering with interstate commerce, Sellinger said. After the robbery, Antwuan Brown, 24, and Karleem Stamps, 25, used the stolen debit card to make separate purc…
NJ Woman Who Dealt Meth, Cocaine Via FedEx Gets 10 Years, US Attorney Says NJ Woman Who Dealt Meth, Cocaine Via FedEx Gets 10 Years, US Attorney Says
NJ Woman Who Dealt Meth, Cocaine Via FedEx Gets 10 Years, US Attorney Says A 32-year-old Newark woman was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Thursday, July 11, after being convicted of possessing cocaine and methamphetamine with intent to distribute, authorities said.  In March 2021, two FedEx parcels addressed to a "John Brown" in Newark were intercepted by law enforcement and found to contain cocaine, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said. An undercover officer disguised as a FedEx driver delivered the package of cocaine to Mahogany Hawkins, Sellinger said. Officers showed up at Hawkins' place again, but when they identified themselves as law enforcement, Hawki…
AGAIN: Big Purple Bud Bus Guy, Woman Arrested After Series Of Raids Across NJ, NY, Cops Say AGAIN: Big Purple Bud Bus Guy, Woman Arrested After Series Of Raids Across NJ, NY, Cops Say
Again: Big Purple Bud Bus Guy, Woman Arrested After Series Of Raids Across NJ, NY, Cops Say The New York owner of a popular cannabis company known for its fleet of purple buses and vans was taken into custody, as was a woman, on Wednesday, July 10, following a series of raids across New Jersey and New York, authorities said. Searches on Bill Schlette’s Bud Bus Inc. locations Hewitt, Manahawkin, Keyport, and West Nyack, NY turned up $200,000 in cash, according to West Milford Police Capt. Parrello. Back in May, West Milford police executed search warrants at five Bud Bus locations in town where 150 pounds of marijuana were seized, along with $11,000 in cash, police said. A warrant …
Mass Amounts Of Cocaine, $17K Seized From Mom-Son Duo In Bloomfield, Newark SWAT Raids: Cops Mass Amounts Of Cocaine, $17K Seized From Mom-Son Duo In Bloomfield, Newark SWAT Raids: Cops
Mass Amounts Of Cocaine, $17K Seized From Mom-Son Duo In Bloomfield, Newark SWAT Raids: Cops Detectives have put a stop to one family's cocaine distribution business in a series of raids across Essex County Tuesday, July 9, authorities said. More than 10,000 vials of cocaine, several hundred grams of cocaine, $17,600 in cash and a handgun with an extended magazine were seized by detectives, ultimately leading to charges against Edwin Medina, 32 and his mother, Sandra Almodovar, 51, both of Newark, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II announced.  Detectives from the ECPO Narcotics Task Force first seized more than a kilo of suspected cocaine in a series of…
17 Arrested, Six Wanted In Massive NJ Fentanyl Mill, Drug-Dealing Operation: Prosecutors 17 Arrested, Six Wanted In Massive NJ Fentanyl Mill, Drug-Dealing Operation: Prosecutors
17 Arrested, Six Wanted In Massive NJ Fentanyl Mill, Drug-Dealing Operation: Prosecutors Seventeen people were arrested and six more were wanted in a large drug-dealing operation throughout Monmouth County, authorities said. An eight-month investigation seized hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of drugs that were funneled from Passaic and Somerset counties, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Monday, June 24. "The arrests and seizures being announced today mark the end result of a herculean investigative effort involving innumerable moving parts, all seamlessly coordinated with the help of more than two dozen other law enforcement agencies,…
Fentanyl Dealer's Own Carelessness In Jersey City Hotel Gets Him 16 Years In Federal Prison Fentanyl Dealer's Own Carelessness In Jersey City Hotel Gets Him 16 Years In Federal Prison
Fentanyl Dealer's Own Carelessness In Jersey City Hotel Gets Him 16 Years In Federal Prison A 45-year-old Jersey City man was recently sentenced to 16 years in prison for drug distribution and weapons offenses after he left two guns behind in a hotel room, authorities said. Jabar Evans was convicted last October of unlawful possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said. In June 2021, Evans ran a fentanyl manufacturing facility in a Jersey City hotel room. He moved his facility from one hotel room to a new larger room at the hotel, Sellinge…
Gangster Parolee Busted With Heroin, Firearm In Jersey City: Feds Gangster Parolee Busted With Heroin, Firearm In Jersey City: Feds
Gangster Parolee Busted With Heroin, Firearm In Jersey City: Feds Two Jersey City men have been charged with distributing cocaine and heroin as part of a street gang, authorities said. Anthony Phillips, 31, a.k.a. "Ant" and Shannon Tisdale a.k.a. "Doonk" were arrested after law enforcement began investigating drug distribution in the area of Lexington and Bergen Avenues in Jersey City by Lex Mob, a neighborhood gang, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said. On Wednesday, April 24, law enforcement saw Tisdale and Phillips distributing drugs in Lexington and then both fled when confronted by police, Sellinger said.  During the pursuit, police saw Phillips r…
Newark Ex-Con Admits Dealing Heroin, Cocaine, Firearm Possession, Feds Say Newark Ex-Con Admits Dealing Heroin, Cocaine, Firearm Possession, Feds Say
Newark Ex-Con Admits Dealing Heroin, Cocaine, Firearm Possession, Feds Say A 34-year-old Newark man recently pleaded guilty to dealing cocaine and heroin, and possessing a firearm despite being a convicted felon, authorities said. In Jan. 2021, law enforcement recovered envelopes containing heroin, jugs containing cocaine and a loaded firearm from Naiem Moore's vehicle, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said.  Moore had used the same firearm in a shooting and attempted assault in Sept. 2020, Sellinger said. Moore pleaded guilty to two counts of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, one count of possession with intent t…
Roselle Fentanyl Dealer Gets 10 Years, Prosecutor Says Roselle Fentanyl Dealer Gets 10 Years, Prosecutor Says
Roselle Fentanyl Dealer Gets 10 Years, Prosecutor Says A 49-year-old Roselle man was sentenced to 10 years in state prison on Friday, May 24, after being convicted of distributing heroin and fentanyl, authorities said. In May 2021, Union County Prosecutor’s Opioid Task Force, assisted by the Roselle Police Department Narcotics Unit, executed a search warrant at a residence, located within the 200 block of Park Street in Roselle, Union County Prosecutor William Daniel and Roselle Police Acting-Chief Helder Freire said. James Smith was arrested at the scene and was found to be in possession of an additional quantity of co…
23-Year-Old Taiwanese Operator Of $100 Million Dark Web Drug Market Seized By Feds At JFK 23-Year-Old Taiwanese Operator Of $100 Million Dark Web Drug Market Seized By Feds At JFK
23-Year-Old Taiwanese Operator Of $100 Million Dark Web Drug Market Seized By Feds At JFK Federal agents at JFK Airport seized a 23-year-old Taiwanese national who the Justice Department said owned and operated a dark web drug bazaar that produced well over $100 million in sales. The “Incognito Market” created by Rui-Siang Lin enabled its users to anonymously buy and sell drugs around the globe for nearly 3½ years, US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and other federal officials announced on Monday, May 20. Lin -- also known as Ruisiang Lin, 林睿庠, Pharoah, and faro – mastermineded a clandestine e-commerce network where buyers could browse thousands of listings for heroin, LSD, …
MAIL-ORDER METH: NJ Man Who Shipped 100 Pounds Gets 14+ Years In Fed Pen MAIL-ORDER METH: NJ Man Who Shipped 100 Pounds Gets 14+ Years In Fed Pen
Mail-order Meth: NJ Man Who Shipped 100 Pounds Gets 14+ Years In Fed Pen A New Jersey man who shipped more than 100 pounds of crystal meth for sale cross-country through the U.S. mail was sentenced to more than 14 years in federal prison as part of a plea deal. Michael Venditti, 39, of Camden, was arrested during a controlled delivery of a package in September 2021. It had been intercepted on its way from Calexico, a Southern California town at the Mexican border, federal authorities said. Inspectors got a warrant to open the package after a drug-detection dog reacted to its arrival at a South Jersey postal facility, they said. Inspectors swapped some of the m…