NJ Man Gets Over 6 Years for Drug and Ammunition Possession Violations

Federal court rules in case involving fentanyl, cocaine, and ammunition, linking the case to the Paterson Violent Crime Initiative

PATERSON, NJ - Kadeem Coleman, a 31-year-old resident of Paterson, New Jersey, was sentenced to 82 months in prison on November 7, 2024, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, along with illegal possession of ammunition, according to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger. Chief U.S. District Judge Renée M. Bumb presided over the sentencing in Camden federal court.

Coleman, a previously convicted felon, initially pleaded guilty to the charges. He was sentenced to 70 months on drug distribution and ammunition possession counts. Because he was on federal supervised release at the time of the offenses, he received an additional 12-month sentence for violating the release terms, to be served consecutively. The court also imposed a five-year supervised release period following his prison term.

The charges stem from an October 15, 2021, incident when law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Coleman’s residence. Officers recovered fentanyl, cocaine, and over 120 rounds of ammunition. This arrest was part of an investigation supported by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies under the Paterson Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), which was established in 2020 to address violent crime in the area.

The investigation involved collaboration among the FBI, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, and the Paterson Police Department. The VCI partners with numerous agencies, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the DEA, ATF, and various local and state departments, focusing on high-risk offenders in the region.

This case is also part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative, which targets and disrupts high-level criminal organizations.