Man Sentenced For Role In New Jersey- Puerto Rico Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy
NEWARK, N.J. - - Carl J. Kotowski, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division, and William E. Fitzpatrick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey announced a New York man was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to traffic approximately two kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to New Jersey.
Ramis Esteves, 33, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to distribute cocaine. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
Esteves was arrested on March 24, 2015 in Bergen County after he accepted delivery of approximately two kilograms of cocaine which had been sent by mail from Puerto Rico. Esteves admitted that he conspired with co-defendant Sasha Melendez, 38, of Bergenfield, New Jersey, to distribute the cocaine.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Esteves to three years of supervised release. Melendez previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and was sentenced Jan. 5, 2017 to 37 months in prison.
