A 44-year-old Parlin, New Jersey, man admitted in federal court to delivering two kilograms of heroin in a high-stakes narcotics handoff that unraveled under DEA surveillance. Pedro Rodriguez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over a kilogram of heroin, a charge carrying a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a $10 million fine.
Rodriguez entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark, ending a months-long investigation into a cross-state drug pipeline. On October 19, 2017, law enforcement agents watched as Rodriguez retrieved a suspicious bag outside a Newark restaurant, then drove directly to Harrison, New Jersey, where he handed it off to Rafaelito Rodriguez, 43, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.
The package contained approximately two kilograms of heroin. Minutes after the exchange, Rafaelito Rodriguez was arrested in Harrison. Authorities moved swiftly, apprehending Pedro Rodriguez later at his Parlin home. The seizure marked a significant blow to an organized drug network operating across state lines.
The charge against Pedro Rodriguez comes with a maximum potential penalty of life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for July 19, 2018. His co-conspirator, Rafaelito Rodriguez, already pleaded guilty on March 6, 2018, and now awaits his own sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Williams, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark, is prosecuting the case. The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division, under Special Agent in Charge Valerie A. Nickerson, who emphasized the agency’s relentless focus on dismantling major drug trafficking operations.
Pedro Rodriguez is represented by defense attorney Michael Pedicini, Esq. The case, rooted in surveillance, interdiction, and cooperation between local and federal forces, underscores the ongoing battle against heroin flooding into urban and suburban communities across New Jersey.
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Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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