Carlos Bess, a 37-year-old Newark man with six prior felony convictions, admitted today to distributing heroin and possessing an arsenal of illegal firearms, including two AR-15 assault rifles and a 12-gauge shotgun. The guilty plea, entered in federal court, marks the latest chapter in a long criminal trajectory for Bess, who has repeatedly defied federal firearm laws.
Bess pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to two counts of illegal possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine. The charges stem from investigations by federal drug and weapons enforcement agencies that culminated in a December 2015 arrest at Bess’s Newark residence.
Court documents reveal Bess admitted to knowingly possessing two Rebel Arms AR-15 rifles, a loaded .357 revolver, two loaded .380 pistols, a loaded 9-millimeter pistol, and a 12-gauge shotgun—weapons stockpiled despite his status as a prohibited felon. Authorities also found over 500 grams of cocaine and quantities of heroin during the raid, evidence Bess admitted to possessing with intent to distribute.
Prosecutors say Bess distributed heroin on two confirmed dates—September 30 and December 1, 2015—in and around Newark. The drug activity, combined with the cache of loaded firearms, painted a picture of a dealer operating with brazen disregard for public safety. Federal sentencing is scheduled for May 31, 2018, where Bess faces mandatory minimums and decades behind bars.
The investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) under Special Agent in Charge John B. Devito, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New Jersey Division, directed by Special Agent in Charge Valerie A. Nickerson. Their joint task force dismantled Bess’s operation through surveillance, controlled buys, and forensic evidence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Wangenheim is prosecuting the case on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Organized Crime/Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit in Newark. Bess is represented by defense attorney Frank Arleo, Esq., of West Orange, New Jersey. The case, designated 18-059, underscores federal efforts to target repeat offenders flooding urban neighborhoods with guns and narcotics.
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Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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