Ernesto Adon Martinez, Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Methamphetamine and Heroin, New Jersey 2024

NEWARK, NJ – A Bergen County-based drug trafficking ring peddling fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin in Newark has been cracked, according to federal authorities. Four individuals have been charged in connection with the operation, allegedly linked to the notorious Trinitarios street gang. The bust marks another blow against the relentless flow of deadly narcotics into the Garden State.

Ernesto Adon Martinez, 38, Luis Arismedy Gomez Torres, 28, and Deury Luis Gomez Torres, 25, all of Fort Lee, New Jersey, face a single count each of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin. Jenny Desiree Rosario-Lorenzo, 28, also of Fort Lee, is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and aiding and abetting the distribution. Three of the defendants – Martinez, Luis Gomez Torres, and Rosario-Lorenzo – were apprehended May 8th and are currently being held without bail.

Court documents reveal the organization moved significant quantities of illicit substances. Investigators allege the group distributed in excess of 400 grams of fentanyl and over 50 grams of methamphetamine. This isn’t small-time dealing; we’re talking about enough poison to kill hundreds, if not thousands. The operation spanned Fort Lee and New York, indicating a wide-reaching distribution network.

If convicted, the defendants face serious time. The fentanyl and methamphetamine conspiracy charge carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years behind bars, with the potential for a life sentence. They could also be slapped with a $10 million fine. The heroin conspiracy and drug possession charges each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and a $1 million fine. These aren’t slap-on-the-wrist offenses.

The takedown was a multi-agency effort, with the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and local police departments in Fort Lee, New York City, and Belleville all contributing to the investigation. Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz of the DEA and ATF’s Special Agent in Charge Ross A. Marchetti spearheaded the federal involvement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Goldberg of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit is prosecuting the case. It’s crucial to remember these are allegations at this point, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. But the sheer volume of drugs involved, and the alleged gang affiliation, paints a grim picture of the criminal activity that was unfolding right under our noses. Deury Gomez Torres remains a fugitive, and authorities are actively seeking his capture.

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