NEWARK, N.J. – In a shocking turn of events, two Essex County men have pleaded guilty to their respective roles as members of a drug trafficking organization responsible for the importation and distribution of hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl analogues, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Defendants Thomas Padovano, 50, and Bartholomew Padovano, 72, of Newark, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to drug trafficking conspiracy and international promotional money laundering conspiracy.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Thomas Padovano and Bartholomew Padovano admitted that from approximately January 2014 through September 2020, they and other members of the drug trafficking organization agreed to import and distribute various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, methylone, and ketamine.
Members of the conspiracy placed orders with a source in China and agreed to distribute, and did distribute, the controlled substances and analogues in New Jersey, both in bulk and in the form of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills that actually contained fentanyl analogues.
The Padovano defendants additionally admitted to having engaged in financial transactions aimed at concealing the origin and true ownership of more than $500,000 in drug proceeds.
The charge of drug trafficking conspiracy to which Thomas Padovano pleaded guilty carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of drug trafficking conspiracy to which Bartholomew Padovano pleaded carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and a fine of up to $5 million.
Sentencing for both defendants is scheduled for May 6, 2025.
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Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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