Luis Aponte, Fentanyl Conspiracy, New Jersey 2023

A California man, Luis Aponte, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for his role in a fentanyl and heroin distribution conspiracy in New Jersey. The sentencing took place in Trenton federal court.

On March 1, 2019, Luis Aponte, 50, drove a tractor-trailer truck to a rest stop in Bloomsbury, New Jersey. The next day, he met his co-defendant, Denny Diaz, 31, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in a car and gave Diaz approximately six kilograms of fentanyl.

Luis Aponte pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan in Trenton federal court to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and heroin. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.

The investigation into Luis Aponte's activities led to the seizure of two kilograms of fentanyl and 11 kilograms of heroin at the rest stop. Denny Diaz pleaded guilty in September 2019 and was sentenced on May 26, 2020, to 33 months in prison.

Luis Aponte was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Fayer of the U.S. Attorney's Office Economic Crimes Unit.

Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Raymond P. Donovan, New York Division; New York City Police Commissioner Dermot F. Shea; and New York State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett with the investigation leading to today's sentencing.

The case is being investigated by the DEA's New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, comprising agents and officers of the DEA, New York City Police Department, and New York State Police.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/california-man-sentenced-five-years-prison-role-drug-conspiracy