TRENTON
- Acting Attorney General Ricardo Solano Jr.
and Criminal Justice Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni
announced that two Camden men were sentenced
to prison today on first-degree cocaine charges
as a result of an investigation by the New
Jersey State Police that led to the seizure
of more than two kilograms of cocaine.
According to Director Gramiccioni,
Jose Olavarria, 36, of Camden, was sentenced
to 15 years in state prison, including six
years without possibility of parole, by Superior
Court Judge Irvin J. Snyder in Camden County.
Olavarria pleaded guilty on Oct. 2 to first-degree
distribution of cocaine.
In addition, Judge Snyder
sentenced Willie Taylor, 30, of Camden, to
nine years in state prison, including three
years without possibility of parole. Taylor
pleaded guilty on Oct. 6 to first-degree possession
of cocaine with intent to distribute.
The charges were contained
in an April 21, 2009 state grand jury indictment
obtained by the Division of Criminal Justice.
An investigation by the State Police Street
Gangs South Unit revealed that Taylor was
dealing cocaine from the clubhouse of the
Wheels of Soul Motorcycle Club on Princess
Avenue in Camden. Taylor, a club member, obtained
cocaine from Olavarria.
Deputy Attorney General Jill
Mayer prosecuted the case for the Division
of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized
Crime Bureau. The investigation was led by
Detective Michael Flory of the New Jersey
State Police Street Gangs South Unit.
The State Police arrested
Taylor and Olavarria in the early morning
hours of Aug. 24, 2007. Detectives stopped
Taylor’s car as he left Olavarria’s
house on Kaighns Avenue, where he bought two
kilograms of cocaine from Olavarria. Detectives
executed a search warrant for the car and
found approximately two kilograms of cocaine
(71 ounces). Two kilograms of cocaine have
a street value of over $50,000. Olavarria
was arrested shortly after Taylor as he left
his house. Detectives executed a search warrant
at Olavarria’s house and found 7 ounces
of cocaine, a .380-caliber handgun loaded
with hollow point bullets, and a 9 mm handgun.
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