TRENTON
– Attorney General Anne Milgram announced
that a West New York man was sentenced to
prison today in connection with a ring that
distributed heroin in Hudson County.
According
to Criminal Justice Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni,
Jeison Ramirez, 28, of West New York, was
sentenced to eight years in state prison,
including 34 months without possibility of
parole, by Superior Court Judge Kevin G. Callahan
in Hudson County. Ramirez pleaded guilty in
June 2008 to a charge of first-degree distribution
of heroin.
Ramirez
was charged as a result of a joint investigation
by the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice,
Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office and
New York Drug Enforcement Task Force. The
investigation uncovered a drug ring that was
bringing large quantities of heroin from New
York City to Hudson County for distribution.
Five
other defendants were indicted in June 2008
in connection with the ring. On May 1, 2009,
three of them were sentenced to prison by
Judge Callahan after pleading guilty to first-degree
distribution of heroin:
-
Enrique Carbonell, 55,
of Union City, was sentenced to 10 years
in state prison, including 42 months without
possibility of parole;
-
Luis Fernando Mejia, 44,
of North Bergen, was sentenced to 10 years
in state prison, including 30 months without
possibility of parole; and
-
Cesar Arrias, 31, of West
New York, was sentenced to five years in
state prison, including 18 months without
possibility of parole.
Another
man, Jorge Hernandez, 61, of New York, N.Y.,
was sentenced on June 3 to five years in state
prison by Judge Callahan. Hernandez pleaded
guilty to second-degree conspiracy. Areli
Osorio, 37, of Clifton, who was Ramirez’
girlfriend, was also indicted. She pleaded
guilty to a third-degree conspiracy charge
and was sentenced to two years of probation.
Deputy
Attorney General Annmarie Taggart prosecuted
the cases and handled today’s sentencing
for the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs
& Organized Crime Bureau.
The
investigation revealed that Hernandez would
obtain large quantities of heroin in New York
City for distribution to Mejia. Mejia would
transport the drugs to New Jersey, where they
were distributed to other members of the conspiracy.
Mejia would supply heroin to Ramirez, who
in turn supplied it to Carbonell. The investigation
further determined that Carbonell was distributing
heroin and cocaine out of a storefront on
Kennedy Boulevard in Union City. Arrias was
involved in delivering heroin to Carbonell.
On
Feb. 28, 2008, Hernandez, Mejia and Arrias
were arrested by members of the investigating
agencies and search warrants were executed
at Hernandez’s residence and Mejia’s
residence. At Hernandez’s resident on
Convent Avenue in New York City, officers
allegedly seized more than a kilogram of heroin,
two loaded semi-automatic guns, and $6,000
in cash. They allegedly seized more than 150
grams of heroin at Meijia’s residence
on 83rd Street in North Bergen.
The
investigation was led by Lt. Chuck Foley and
Detective Miguel Rodriguez of the Division
of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized
Crime Bureau, along with Detective Ray Santos
of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office
and members of the New York Drug Enforcement
Task Force under the supervision of Sgt. Neil
Nappi of the New York City Police Department.
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