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TRENTON – Attorney
General Anne Milgram announced that three
men involved in a South Jersey drug network,
including one of the leaders of the ring,
pleaded guilty today to buying and selling
large quantities of marijuana and cocaine.
The charges resulted from
a cooperative investigation by the New Jersey
State Police and the Pennsylvania State
Police into interstate smuggling of drugs.
The investigation led to the seizure of
63 pounds of marijuana last year.
Joel G. Juarez, 40, aka
Enrique H. Penna, of Pilesgrove, pleaded
guilty before Superior Court Judge Michael
R. Connor in Atlantic County to first-degree
possession of marijuana with intent to distribute,
second-degree conspiracy, and second-degree
attempted possession of cocaine with intent
to distribute, charges contained in a May
12 state grand jury indictment. Juarez also
pleaded guilty to a criminal accusation
charging him with first-degree maintaining
a marijuana production facility. Under the
plea agreement, Juarez faces a sentence
of 15 years in state prison with 40 months
of parole ineligibility. Judge Connor scheduled
his sentencing for Nov. 13.
Juarez was arrested by the
New Jersey State Police on the evening of
July 13, 2007 at the Budget Motel on East
Black Horse Pike in Folsom. Juarez admitted
that he conspired with Damian Constantino,
43, aka Damian Garcia, of Pilesgrove, to
sell 59 pounds of marijuana, which they
had in their possession. Constantino’s
son, Baltazar Constantino, 22, also of Pilesgrove,
was arrested at the same time at his father’s
store, Las Delicias Food Market on Central
Avenue in Hammonton. Juarez admitted that,
earlier that day, he had loaded containers
of marijuana into vehicles at the rear of
the store.
Also today, Leonardo R.
DeJesus, 30, of Long Branch, and his brother
Luis A. DeJesus, 29, of Lawrenceville, pleaded
guilty before Judge Connor to second-degree
attempted possession of cocaine with intent
to distribute and second-degree conspiracy.
Each of them faces a sentence of five years
in prison under their plea agreements. They
also are to be sentenced on Nov. 13.
At the plea hearing, Leonardo
and Luis DeJesus admitted that they went
to the Budget motel to buy cocaine from
Juarez and Damian Constantino. The brothers
admitted that they had $47,000 in their
possession for the purchase.
At the time of the arrests,
search warrants were also executed by New
Jersey State Police TEAMS (Technical Emergency
and Mission Specialists) Units at Las Delicias,
where they allegedly recovered 3 pounds
of marijuana and a digital scale, and at
the farm labor camp where Juarez lived at
1423 Kings Highway, where they allegedly
recovered one-half pound of marijuana and
14 marijuana plants.
Charges are pending against
Damian and Baltazar Constantino. They failed
to appear previously in court for a status
conference, and Judge Connor issued arrest
warrants for them.
The case was investigated
by the New Jersey State Police Organized
Crime Control Bureau - Drug Trafficking
South Unit and the Pennsylvania State Police
Vice Unit - Troop J. Deputy Attorney General
Philip S. Aronow of the Division of Criminal
Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau
negotiated the pleas and represented the
state at the guilty plea hearings.
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