Ignacio Cuesta, 41, of Atlantic City, N.J., has admitted to running a crystal methamphetamine distribution ring targeting the Hammonton area of Atlantic County—flooding streets with deadly doses of the drug in brazen, organized fashion.
Cuesta pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Noel Hillman in Camden federal court to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of crystal methamphetamine. The charge carries a minimum 10-year sentence, a maximum of life behind bars, and a potential $10 million fine.
On June 24, 2016, Cuesta was arrested in Hammonton after agreeing to sell two pounds of crystal meth to an undercover narcotics detective. Authorities seized the drugs from his Ford Expedition, along with approximately $9,000 in cash. But that was just the beginning.
Multiple additional pounds of meth were discovered stashed in vehicles and buried in a bucket beneath the ground in a local Hammonton business parking lot. Investigators also pulled more cash from the trunk of another vehicle linked to Cuesta—part of a haul totaling over $100,000 in seized assets.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, Cuesta agreed to forfeit all seized cash and two vehicles used in the conspiracy. The operation, federal prosecutors say, was methodical, well-funded, and aimed at expanding distribution across South Jersey.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 18, 2018. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with support from the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Askin is prosecuting. Cuesta is represented by attorney Patrick Duffy, Esquire.
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Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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