December 13, 2011

Office of The Attorney General
- Paula T. Dow, Attorney General 
Division of Criminal Justice
- Stephen J. Taylor, Director

According to Director Taylor, the 38-count state grand jury indictment, returned yesterday afternoon, charges Luis Burgos, 33, of Camden, who allegedly was a major cocaine supplier and leader within the network, with the crime of leader of a narcotics trafficking network, a first-degree offense that carries a sentence of life in state prison, including 25 years without possibility of parole. Burgos allegedly had large quantities of cocaine transported from Puerto Rico to Newark, N.J, and New York on commercial airlines for distribution in the Camden area.

The indictment charges 18 of the defendants with first-degree money laundering in connection with more than $500,000 in cash and assets seized in the course of the investigation, and seven defendants, including Burgos, are charged with counts of first-degree distribution of narcotics. The first-degree racketeering, money laundering and drug charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in state prison, and the money laundering charge carries a fine of up to $500,000.

The indictment, obtained by the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau, stems from a joint investigation called Operation Jumpstart conducted by the New Jersey State Police, Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, New Jersey Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and other members of the High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Joint Camden Task Force.

“Through investigations such as Operation Jumpstart, we are partnering across all levels of law enforcement to combat the drug and gun trafficking that are generating violence in Camden and destroying the quality of life there,” said Attorney General Dow. “In these tough economic times, this type of targeted, multi-agency effort serves to maximize our resources.”

“The abundance of evidence gathered in this joint investigation has enabled us to file first-degree racketeering charges against 28 defendants, who we allege conspired to distribute cocaine and heroin in the Camden area,” said Director Taylor. “By diligently building this type of case, we are able to bring the full force of the law to bear against these alleged drug dealers.”

“The cooperative efforts of federal, state and local agencies led to the indictment of 28 individuals on various drugs and weapons charges,” said Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “I commend the State Police personnel involved in the dismantling of this criminal enterprise and the efforts of the other law enforcement personnel involved,” Fuentes added.

“Our move toward greater cooperation among law enforcement agencies operating in Camden bears fruit with the charges announced today,” Camden County Prosecutor Warren W. Faulk said. “Intelligence sharing and the ability to pool resources gives us the opportunity to go after significant targets responsible for the influx of drugs into the country and the city.”

The indictment charges a Philadelphia man, Christian Serrano, 30, who allegedly supplied heroin to the ring. Serrano was arrested on July 21, 2011, when investigators seized significant quantities of heroin and cocaine at “stash houses” in Philadelphia and New Jersey which he allegedly maintained.

Reynel Delvalle, 34, of Camden, who allegedly had his own drug “set” that distributed heroin and cocaine in Camden, was charged along with five other defendants, including Anthony Smith, 32, of Camden, with first-degree distribution of heroin. Delvalle and Smith are charged with, among other things, selling an M-1 assault rifle and heroin to an undercover officer.

Delvalle, Smith and three other defendants face weapons charges in connection with a .38-caliber revolver loaded with hollow point bullets and a loaded 12-gauge shotgun which were seized by detectives when they stopped a vehicle driven by Smith on June 7, 2010 in Mount Laurel and executed a search warrant. Delvalle and the three other defendants were passengers.

Three defendants, Juan Alvarez-Ramirez, 25, of Audubon, his brother, Jose Alvarez-Ramirez, 34, of Collingswood, and Diana Siligato-Maya, 22, of Audubon, are charged with shipping approximately 20 pounds of marijuana in July 2010 via UPS from Mexico to Philadelphia, where it was seized by DEA agents.

Deputy Attorney General John R. Corson presented the case to the state grand jury for the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau.

Operation Jumpstart was conducted by the New Jersey State Police, Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, New Jersey Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Division of Criminal Justice, and other members of the HIDTA Joint Camden Task Force, including the Camden City Police Department, Camden County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Cherry Hill Police Department, Evesham Police Department, Woodbury Police Department and Air National Guard.

Detective Anthony Zoppina and Detective Erik Hoffman led the investigation for the New Jersey State Police, and Investigator Michael Sutley led the investigation for the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office.

The following is a full list of the 28 defendants, each of whom is charged with first-degree racketeering and second-degree conspiracy:

1. Luis Burgos, 33, of Camden,
2. Victor Matias, 29, of Pennsauken,
3. Eric Brownlee, 31, of Camden,
4. Reynel Delvalle, 34, of Camden,
5. Jonathan DeJesus, 29, of Clementon,
6. Gabriel Crespo, 26, of Camden,
7. Rasool Jones, 34, of Camden,
8. Samuel Morales III, 36, of Clayton,
9. Luis Ortiz, 33, of Pennsauken,
10. Christopher Ferreras, 30, of Philadelphia,
11. Crystal Rojas, 21, of Camden,
12. Ashley Diaz, 21, of Camden,
13. Christian Serrano, 30, of Philadelphia,
14. Anthony Smith, 32, of Camden,
15. Juan Alvarez-Ramirez, 25, of Audubon,
16. Jose Alvarez-Ramirez, 34, of Collingswood,
17. Ascension Delapaz, 46, of Camden/Los Angeles, Calif.,
18. Diana Siligato-Maya, 22, of Audubon,
19. Angel Reyes, 45, of Camden,
20. Angel L. Medina, 26, of Camden,
21. Rashaan Coles, 21, of Camden,
22. Josh L. Vega, 23, of Camden,
23. Vanessa M. Lopez, 23, of Camden,
24. Carlton Riley, 39, of Camden,
25. Carlton Riley Jr., 20, of Camden,
26. Daniel Rolon, 37, of Camden,
27. Luis Cuevas, 29, of Camden, and
28. Joseph Thompson III, 29, of Camden.

The first-degree charge of leader of a narcotics trafficking network carries a sentence of life in state prison, including 25 years without possibility of parole, and a fine of up to $750,000. The other first-degree charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in state prison and a $200,000 fine. Second-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $150,000 fine; third-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $15,000 fine; and fourth-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison and a $10,000 fine. The second-degree count of unlawful possession of a handgun carries a mandatory period of parole ineligibility of three to five years in prison.

The indictment is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The indictment was handed up to Superior Court Judge Linda R. Feinberg in Mercer County, who assigned the case to Camden County.

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