Passaic Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Possession with Intent to Distribute

Luis Cepeda-Capellan admits to possessing over five kilograms of cocaine, facing up to 20 years in prison.

PATERSON, N.J. - Luis Cepeda-Capellan, 27, from Paterson, New Jersey, has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute. U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced that Cepeda-Capellan entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court.

On February 26, 2021, law enforcement officers discovered over five kilograms of cocaine in a vehicle Cepeda-Capellan was driving. He admitted in court that he possessed the controlled substances with the intent to distribute them. 

The charge carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for December 10, 2024.

The case was investigated by the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, which includes special agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York City Police Department, and New York State Police. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea D. Coleman of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark is representing the government in this case.