CAMDEN, N.J. — Jose Diaz, 29, of Camden, admitted today to running part of a violent drug-trafficking organization that flooded the 400-500 block of Pine Street with heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine. The self-described shift manager oversaw street-level dealers and distributed kilogram quantities of deadly narcotics, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Diaz pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over one kilogram of a mixture containing heroin, at least 280 grams of crack cocaine, and additional quantities of cocaine and fentanyl-laced drugs. The charge carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for March 21, 2022.
The takedown traces back to a sweeping FBI-led investigation in 2018 that dismantled a well-organized narcotics hub operating in broad daylight. Using video surveillance, wiretaps, confidential informants, and controlled buys, federal agents mapped the hierarchy of the gang, which operated in shifts and funneled profits up a chain of managers. Diaz was a key link, distributing pre-packaged drugs to sellers on the street.
When law enforcement moved in, 19 defendants were arrested. Sixteen have already pleaded guilty. Two remain fighting charges: Juan Figueroa and Christopher Vasquez, whose trial is set for May 9, 2022. Multiple firearms were seized from stash houses and vehicles tied to the organization, highlighting the violent undercurrent of the operation.
This case falls under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, a federal initiative targeting high-level drug networks through coordinated, intelligence-driven prosecutions. The investigation was led by the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force, with critical support from the Camden County Police Department, the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, the Sheriff’s Department, Cherry Hill Police, the N.J. State Police, DEA, U.S. Marshals, and Homeland Security.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara A. Aliabadi and Patrick C. Askin are prosecuting the case. As of now, Diaz awaits sentencing while the final two defendants remain presumed innocent until proven guilty. The streets of Pine Street may be quieter, but the toll of the drug trade lingers in the community it poisoned.
RELATED: Texas Woman Admits Heroin Trafficking Role
RELATED: Camden Man Admits EBT Fraud Role in $150K Scheme
Related Federal Cases
- Texas Woman Admits Heroin Trafficking Role · Texas
- El Paso Man Raul Chavez Gets 12 Years for Cocaine Trafficking · Connecticut
- Sex Trafficking Ring Busted in Rochester · Texas
- MS-13 Enforcer ‘Chichi’ Romero Gets 5 Years in Racketeering Case · Texas
- Antonio Romero Jr. Led Fentanyl, Cocaine Trafficking Ring · Texas
Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Organized CrimeOrganized CrimeOrganized CrimeOrganized Crime