A drug trafficking organization that unloaded large quantities of heroin from the Bronx to mid-level Paterson drug dealers for distribution in northern New Jersey and New York was busted by authorities with the arrest of five men, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Charlie Rodriguez, 32, of Paterson; Reinaldo Rodriguez, 27, of Paterson; Victor Alfonso Alvarez Martinez, 26, of Bronx; Edward M. Stanel, 25, of Parsippany, New Jersey; and Joseph Trimarco, 28, of Stony Point, New York were charged with conspiracy to distribute a kilogram or more heroin.
Authorities arrested Martinez and Trimarco on Wednesday night while the other three men were arrested on Thursday morning, according to authorities. From June 2015 to May 2016 the trafficking network supplied mid-level dealers in Paterson from large amounts of wholesale heroin it amassed in multiple locations in the Bronx.
Couriers delivered the heroin to Paterson dealers for distribution in the city or re-sell to street-level dealers in Morris County in New Jersey and Rockland County in New York.
Authorities also charged Pablo Goris-Castellano, 25, of Bronx; Edwin Lopez, 30, of Elmwood Park, New Jersey; and Carolina Almonte, 27, of Bronx in April 20, 2016 on the same charge.
Goris-Castellano packaged large quantities of heroin in the Bronx. He sent Almonte and Martinez to supply Lopez, who operated out of Paterson, and returned to Goris-Castellano with payment.
Lopez sold portion of the heroin to Charlie Rodriguez. Charlie Rodriguez worked closely with Reinaldo Rodriguez to sell portions of the heroin to low-level dealers in Paterson and suburban communities in close proximity.
The two Rodriguez supplied Stanel in Morris County and Trimarco in Rockland County.
On September 20, 2015, Charlie Rodriguez allegedly sold 3 bricks of heroin to Stanel at East 26th Street and 8th Avenue in Paterson, authorities said.
Stanel paid $450 for the bricks labeled “Transformers.” Authorities intercepted text messages and communication between Charlie Rodriguez and Stanel that culminated in the sale at around 9:49 p.m., according to authorities.
Authorities tracked the trafficking network exchange large quantities of heroin in Paterson in return for payments.
Each of the individuals could face a minimum of 10 years in prison or a maximum of life in prison and a maximum fine of $10 million, authorities said.