Camden Crack Dealer ‘Breet’ Admits Conspiracy

CAMDEN, N.J. – Another cog in Camden’s relentless drug machine has turned informant. Joseph Boyd, 31, known on the streets as “Breet,” admitted today to his central role in a crack cocaine distribution network that poisoned the 1100 block of Lansdowne Avenue. The confession comes as part of a deal with federal prosecutors, offering a glimpse into the wider operation that law enforcement has been chipping away at for months.

Boyd pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Simandle, admitting to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base. Court documents reveal Boyd wasn’t just a street-level dealer; he supplied other members of the conspiracy, effectively acting as a wholesale source for the devastating drug. This confirms what Camden residents have long known: a structured network fuels the open-air market.

The bust, originally launched September 9, 2016, was the work of the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force. The initial complaint ensnared Boyd along with Jason Boyd, Tony Wilson, Preston Thomas, Derek Stallworth, Jeffrey Whitaker, Nafeez Griffin, and Julian Dickerson. A subsequent raid didn’t just turn up drugs – investigators also seized two handguns, illustrating the inherent violence that always accompanies this kind of trade.

This isn’t an isolated case. Jason Boyd, Stallworth, and Wilson have already copped pleas to similar drug distribution conspiracy and firearms charges, and are now awaiting their sentencing dates. Meanwhile, the remaining defendants – Thomas, Whitaker, Griffin, and Dickerson – maintain their innocence, and will face trial. The maximum penalty for the charge against Boyd is a stiff 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine. His sentencing is currently scheduled for July 13, 2017.

Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick was quick to credit the multi-agency effort. The FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, led by Special Agent in Charge Michael Harpster, worked alongside the Camden County Police Department (Chief J. Scott Thomson), the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office (Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo), and the N.J. State Police (Col. Rick Fuentes). Support also came from the Camden County Sheriff’s Department, the Cherry Hill Police Department, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Vidoni is handling the prosecution for the government. Boyd was represented by defense counsel David Rudenstein, Esq. While one dealer has fallen, the Grimy Times will continue to track the remaining threads of this conspiracy and the ongoing fight against the drug trade that continues to grip Camden. Expect more indictments and convictions to come.