A 49-year-old Newark man is accused of turning his apartment into a full-scale heroin mill, churning out doses for the city’s streets, federal prosecutors say. Alexis Garcia Cabrera was charged today with possessing over one kilogram of heroin with intent to distribute, following a DEA raid that uncovered a laboratory-style operation stuffed inside his home.
On May 9, 2019, Drug Enforcement Administration agents stormed Garcia Cabrera’s residence armed with a search warrant and found freezer bags packed with heroin, loose powder in various stages of processing, and bricks containing 50 individual doses each—ready for street sale. The apartment reeked of chemicals, investigators said, with grinders, sifters, and cutting agents scattered across countertops like kitchen tools.
Agents also recovered more than 1,000 glassine envelopes—small, heat-sealed packets commonly used to distribute heroin on the street—along with bulk packaging materials suggesting a high-volume operation. According to court documents, the sheer quantity and sophistication of the processing equipment indicate Garcia Cabrera wasn’t just a dealer—he was a manufacturer.
Garcia Cabrera appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court and was released on home detention. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, a mandatory minimum of 10 years, and a $10 million fine if convicted on the single count of possession with intent to distribute.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited the DEA’s New Jersey division, led by Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson, for dismantling the operation. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Barnes of the Criminal Division in Newark.
The charge against Alexis Garcia Cabrera, 49, of Newark, remains an accusation under federal law. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. His defense is being handled by Chester Keller, Esq., First Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark.
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Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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