TRENTON, N.J. – A Trenton man has been convicted of leading a heroin trafficking organization that distributed hundreds of grams of heroin in the Trenton area. Ishmael Abdullah, a/k/a ‘Ish,’ a/k/a ‘Gangsta,’ a/k/a ‘Papi,’ 27, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Abdullah’s co-defendant, Bernardino Guervil, 29, a/k/a ‘BG,’ was sentenced to 42 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Guervil previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin.
The investigation revealed that Abdullah and others participated in a drug trafficking organization that operated in the area of Spring and Passaic Streets in Trenton from May 2015 through December 2016. They obtained significant quantities of heroin from multiple suppliers, including Jose Joaquin Torres-Mezquita and Ileana Sanchez.
Abdullah admitted to conspiring with others to distribute at least 400 grams of heroin. He also admitted to knowingly possessing a SCCY Industries CPX-2 firearm. The conspiracy charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum potential sentence of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine.
The investigation was conducted by the Greater Trenton Safe Streets Task Force, including special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher; special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Newark Division, Trenton Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John B. Devito; officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Director Ernest Parrey Jr.; officers of the Princeton Police Department, under the direction of Chief Nicholas Sutter; officers of the Ewing Police Department, under the direction of Chief John P. Stemler III; and detectives of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri.
Sentencing for Abdullah is scheduled for November 27, 2017. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum potential sentence of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine.
The investigation was a collaborative effort between law enforcement agencies in Mercer County, including the Trenton Police Department, the Princeton Police Department, the Ewing Police Department, and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.
The heroin trafficking organization was responsible for distributing hundreds of grams of heroin in the Trenton area, putting the lives of residents at risk. The guilty plea and sentencing of Abdullah and Guervil are a significant blow to the organization and demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement to combating heroin trafficking in the region.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick.
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Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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