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Four Bergen County Residents Arrested in Major Drug Trafficking Bust
Alleged ties to the Trinitarios gang highlight a significant operation distributing heroin and fentanyl in Newark.
NEWARK, N.J. – Today, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced the arrest of four individuals from Bergen County, implicated in a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing substantial quantities of heroin in Newark.
The residents of Fort Lee, New Jersey—Ernesto Adon Martinez, 38, Luis Arismedy Gomez Torres, 28, Deury Luis Gomez Torres, 25, and Jenny Desiree Rosario-Lorenzo, 28—are facing serious federal charges.
Martinez, Luis Gomez Torres, and Deury Gomez Torres are each charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin. Rosario-Lorenzo faces charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine and aiding and abetting the same.
While three of the defendants have been detained following their court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor, Deury Gomez Torres remains at large.
The arrests stem from an investigation that revealed the individuals were linked to a drug trafficking organization, affiliated with the Trinitarios street gang, which managed the distribution of more than 400 grams of fentanyl and over 50 grams of methamphetamine in the areas surrounding Fort Lee and New York.
The severity of the charges reflects the significant threat posed by the drugs involved. The conspiracy charge related to fentanyl and methamphetamine could lead to a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and as much as a life sentence, along with a potential $10 million fine. Charges related to heroin possession carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
The collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration, and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as local police departments from Fort Lee, New York City, and Belleville, were crucial in bringing these charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Goldberg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark is representing the government in this case. While the charges are currently accusations, the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
