Dec. 26, 2017
Two Men Convicted in Sophisticated Drug Distribution Case
Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino announced today that an Essex County jury has convicted Adalberto Garcia, 27, and Ramon Vega, 58, both of Newark, on 17 counts of conspiracy, drug possession and distribution following a five-day trial before the Honorable Martin G. Cronin, Judge of the Superior Court.
According to Assistant Prosecutor John Anderson, who tried the case with Assistant Prosecutor Sean Dickson, on Aug, 23, 2016, Vega and Garcia were arrested in the 200 block of Clifton Avenue after Essex County Sheriff’s Department Bureau of Narcotics Detectives executed a search warrant at that location following an investigation.
“Thanks to the efforts of the Bureau of Narcotics, these two men will no longer be putting dangerous drugs on the streets,” stated John Anderson
On Oct. 14, 2016, an Essex County grand jury returned a 30-count indictment charging Vega and Garcia with conspiracy, multiple counts of possession of narcotics, including ecstasy, oxycodone, tramadol, Xanax, cocaine and marijuana. They were also charged with possessing narcotics with intent to distribute within 1,000 of a school and possession and distribution within 1,000 feet of a public housing complex.
“It is clear that the defendants were not only selling narcotics to drug users, but also sold to low level drug dealers. This was a substantial operation that distributed narcotics to the entire North Ward of Newark, New Jersey,” stated Assistant Prosecutor Sean Dickson.
On Dec. 18, an Essex County jury convicted them on 17 counts.
Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 13, 2018.
Both men face, who have one prior conviction, face 20 years to life in prison.
