Sean Lambert, Cocaine Base Distribution, New Jersey 2023

TRENTON, N.J. – Sean Lambert, a/k/a ‘Pretty Tone,’ 48, was sentenced today to 11 years in prison on charges of drug distribution and violation of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Lambert was sentenced to 120 months in prison for distributing cocaine base, commonly known as ‘crack,’ from a residential building in Asbury Park. He was also sentenced to an additional 12 months in prison – to be served following his completion of a 120-month prison term – for distributing the crack while he was serving a term of federal supervised release.

Lambert pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to an indictment charging him with two counts of distributing cocaine base and entered a guilty plea admitting to having violated his court-ordered terms of supervised release. Judge Shipp imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Lambert sold cocaine base out of an apartment within a multi-family building in Asbury Park on two occasions – February 28, 2018, and March 9, 2018. During the second sale, Lambert sold over 28 grams of cocaine base.

Lambert was on federal supervised release following a 2008 conviction – also in federal court in Trenton – for being a felon in possession of a firearm. As such, he was required to not commit another federal, state, or local crime during his period of supervision. Lambert admitted that, by selling cocaine base, he violated this condition.

Due to his having a prior first-degree drug distribution conviction in New Jersey, an enhanced penalty information was filed, increasing the mandatory minimum penalty on the drug distribution charge to 10 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara F. Merin of the Health Care and Government Fraud Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark represented the government in this case.

This case is the result of a collaborative effort by law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking in New Jersey. The successful prosecution of Lambert serves as a warning to those who engage in such activities that they will be held accountable for their actions.

Lambert will be serving his 11-year prison sentence at a federal correctional facility to be determined by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey commends the efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration and other law enforcement agencies for their role in this case.

Related Federal Cases