NJ Man Sentenced to Five Years for Cocaine Trafficking

Orlando Ayala, a 30-year-old from Westampton, NJ, faces a 60-month prison term for his involvement in a drug distribution network spanning New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

NEW JERSEY - Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Camden federal court, Orlando Ayala was sentenced to five years in prison for his active role in a cocaine distribution conspiracy that operated across Burlington and Camden counties in New Jersey and extended into Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams handed down the sentence following Ayala's guilty plea on March 21, 2024, to charges including conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

The case, as outlined by U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, detailed Ayala's involvement with co-conspirator Angel Correa and others in the trafficking of substantial quantities of cocaine from February 2022 to January 2023. The partnership between Ayala and Correa was notably prolific, culminating in the distribution of over one kilogram of cocaine through various transactions throughout 2022.

A critical incident on January 10, 2023, led to their legal unraveling when Ayala and Correa were apprehended after retrieving a package of cocaine mailed to a residence in Philadelphia. The subsequent search at Correa’s residence in Camden by law enforcement resulted in the seizure of one kilogram of cocaine and two firearms found near the drugs, highlighting the dangerous nature of their operation.

In addition to his prison sentence, Judge Williams imposed a five-year term of supervised release on Ayala, aiming to monitor and rehabilitate him post-incarceration. Angel Correa, Ayala's conspirator, has also pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.

This case is part of a broader initiative by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), which focuses on dismantling high-level criminal organizations that pose significant threats to public safety in the United States. This multi-agency, intelligence-driven approach underscores the ongoing commitment to combatting drug trafficking and its associated violence.